Legend of Zelda II: Guardians of the Binding Force
by Moonlight97
Summary: "One day, the mark of the Triforce mysteriously showed up on the back of my hand. I went to Hyrule Castle Town to ask Impa what this meant only to find Zelda under a sleep curse for the rest of time! But there may be one way to save her... I am the Chosen One after all." Sequel to Imparting a Destiny. Based on Zelda II: The Adventure of Link in Link's POV. Rated T for some blood.
1. The Sacred Triforce

**Disclaimer: I do not own Legend of Zelda, Nintendo does.**

The Legend of Zelda II: Guardians of the Binding Force

 **Chapter 1 The Sacred Triforce**

The whole house was quiet, save for the occasional scratching of my broom as it met with the wooden floor, and the creaking of a chair when I pulled it away to sweep underneath it. A few pieces of the cake that Scott made for my birthday from a few days ago still sat on my table... And it still smelled freshly baked and cared for. Scott was a master cook in my hometown and a friend to me. I smiled as I remembered the party.

I turned sixteen on that day, and my friends and some of their friends came over for a celebration. There were games, music, food, stories, and gifts. It was a lot of fun, and even though they would celebrate my birthday every year, I still couldn't hide my surprise when I would answer the door to their smiling faces! A certain someone couldn't make it that year though… I waited throughout the party, but Zelda never came. Not that I was ungrateful, because it was wonderful to talk with everyone! I just haven't seen her for a long while...

Zelda, the princess of Hyrule… I met her six years from then. When I found Impa being chased by a group of moblins, I fought them off and she told me the fiend, Ganon, stole the Triforce of Power from the castle. Zelda knew he would be back for the Triforce of Wisdom as well, so she broke it in eight pieces and hid them in dungeons around the kingdom. Then, she sent Impa to look for someone to fix the broken Triforce and defeat the evil Ganon. I took the quest and Impa went back to the castle. Meanwhile, I traveled through thunderstorms, across mountains, over oceans, and fought monsters and dragons on the journey. Until, finally, I stood in front of the prince of darkness. It was a long and hard battle, but I was able to defeat him and take the Triforce of Power. I found the kidnapped princess, gave her the two pieces of Triforce, and we walked to the castle.

My home still resided in the town of Rauru, but I found myself continuing to explore the lovely kingdom, and fighting the monsters that pass my way. I was always so excited to take up to road to wherever it would take me!

Zelda must have been too busy with royal duties at the castle… My mind whirled back to my fifteenth birthday. She came all the way from the castle to celebrate with us. I remember when we stood in my yard listening to the music and I extended my hands to her. She took them in her own, and we jumped and twirled to the rhythm of the drums, violins, and flutes. Her favorite pink dress floated gracefully just above the ground, and her slightly reddish hair bounced about her shoulders. The smile on her face…

My attention was again turned to the sweeping of my broom. I was almost done when I caught a glimpse of something glowing golden on the back of my left hand. I stopped sweeping and turned my hand to look at the strange glow, but one look of it sent a shock throughout my entire body that made me drop the broom to the floor! It landed with a high pitched wooden clang, but I hardly heard it. I had recognized the mysterious mark at once to be the Triforce. The mysterious gold on my hand formed into the three triangles of the sacred pyramid. What could this mean? I have never seen it there before! Who would know about this?

…Impa, I thought, she knows so much about the Triforce! I decided to leave right away and began to pack for the journey to the castle. After I found some food and water for the trip, I walked to my room where my trusty sword leaned against the dresser. I brought up before me and unsheathed the magnificent blade. It was a magical sword that could sometimes shoot beams from the metal tip. It was given to me from the elder of the village when my last one broke six years ago on the quest for the Triforce. I replaced the sheath and strapped it on my green tunic.

My shield rested by the same wall. The shield that was given to me by a ghost living in the Dragon, a dungeon I had to explore. He told me his magical shield had saved him many times when he was alive. Despite its amazing protection, it was of simple design. It had a single symbol of a large red cross covering the center of its deep brown surface. The ghost was right to hold it dear, his treasure has served me well.

I took the shield and went outside without much of a further look in the house. The town of Rauru was quiet. The sun was barely above the horizon, and very few people have been awake long enough to leave their front doors yet. The light of the low sun was still trying to awaken for the day, and the mute brightness there was cast long shadows in every corner of the town it could. Joyous chirps of birds welcomed the new morning and gave the still quiet world a beautiful song. I strolled upon the cobble streets to the western edge of town. The castle of Hyrule sat far in the distance but the pointy white towers that pierced the colorful sky was tall enough for many towns to see its beauty.

The sound of birds and insects seemed to follow me on my journey as I soon left the outskirts of Rauru and started for the castle. I brought my left hand up; the Triforce still glowed mysteriously… I thought maybe it had something to do with my quest years ago, but why would it show up now? It didn't make sense. I continued to ponder the puzzling thought that I had no answer to as the stone roads were replaced by fine dirt. And the smell of the dirt path mingled with the many scents of the trees, bushes, and flowers that grew on either side of me.

Every thought of the Triforce soon disappeared as I finally noticed a whisper nearby somewhere in the bushes. It sounded like the voices of beasts talking to each other, not people, and I couldn't make out a word they were saying. I approached slowly, curious on who and why they would be spying on me. I slid my sword out of its sheath and brought the shield close as I neared the trees. The voices continued a little while longer, until I heard them quietly shush the other and they fell silent.

"Who's there?" I asked. I was just about to use my sword to uncover them, but before I could, they all at once jumped out with weapons drawn! I was already expecting as much and successfully dodged to the side. Now I coule recognize the three short blue rodent like humanoids to be goriyas, and a tough looking tall and scaled creature in heavy armor called a lizalfos.

One of the goriyas ran to me first and called out something that scared me in hesitance. "Resurrect Ganon!"

I recovered from the shock quickly enough to block with my shield. Then, I went for a low sweep with my sword onto its kneecap. The creature cried out in pain, and the other monsters were rushing to join in the fight. I stabbed the already injured goriya and shot magical sword beams at the rest. The lizalfos hid behind its own shield and the goriyas countered with thrown boomerangs.

It was hard to avoid the two oncoming boomerangs, and I somehow managed to swing out to the side and dodge the first one, and brought up the shield to block the second, but I was too late and felt it hit my left arm instead. I shook off the pain, stood straight, and pointed my sword with my right hand, but found I couldn't summon anymore sword beams. I didn't hesitate though and instead rolled towards the side of a goriya and quickly attacked before it could react, dropping it to the ground. Now, I was close to the fierce lizalfos. It held an excited expression that I've ever seen on a monstrous lizard and it opened the mouth at the end of its long head to taunt with its forked tongue before approaching threateningly.

I waited for it to move first, and when it did, I easily avoided it by jumping to the opposite side of the lizard monster. By doing that, I was now in between the two creatures. Before either one could act, I twirled my sword in a complete circle around me. The spin attack struck both of the targets and defeated the last goriya.

Only the lizalfos stood before me. I started the clash by pulling a feint strike to its right. The monster fell for it and I slashed its unprotected left. The lizalfos had recover its balance and then I saw it glar at me evilly. It swung its mace down on me, and I blocked the weapon with the shield, but the attack was so focused, I almost fell backwards!

The creature was now in a mad rage and it was distracted enough that when I regained my balance and pushed back, I managed to cut a large gash on its arm. The lizalfos dropped its weapon, but despite its wound, it still tried to attack me. I finished the creature by easily slashing its unarmored neck.

Why did they attack me? I brought them no reason to lash out. And what did that goriya mean when it cried to "Resurrect Ganon."? Can Ganon be resurrected? Something weird is going on…

I sheathed my sword and continued my walk. I'm sure Impa must know something about all this…

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It took me several hours to get to castle town and I was attacked again and again on the road. But the busy city felt so warm to me after walking for so long. The air was filled with chit-chat and laughter. Children ran playfully over the gray stone plaza, and a tall, clear fountain sat in the center of town. Merchants and sellers called out deals to the customers by their stalls, and the castle flags rippled in a calm wind above the scene.

I strolled past the fountain and to the heavy wooden gate leading to the castle. The two guards stood still and straight as I approached them. "Hello, I would like to talk to Impa. Can I come in?"

They looked to each other with an expression of relief and fear for some reason before one replied. "Of course, Link. You are always welcome in the castle." Again, I was struck with curiosity, but I said nothing as he opened the gate for me and I stepped in. Now, I may find some answers to these strange occurrences.

 **Author's Note: I actually have finished this fanfic, but since it's so large, I'll be posting only a few chapters at a time. I feel that it'll be easier that way. So, yeah, I wrote this a long time ago, and I when I was proofreading it, I realized how horrible it was. So then I tried to edit it and clean it up for you so it would be easier to read.**

 **I don't usually do Shout-outs, but this time, I have some amazing fanfic friends to share! Check out Link'sLily and Irene T447! They both write mostly for Zelda, and can tell very vivid scenes. Not just that, but they give amazing feedback, love you two!**


	2. Yet Another Destiny

**Chapter 2**

 **Yet another Destiny**

I was led into the throne room and then told to wait for Impa. The guard then sped off in a hurry! I wonder what the rush was… I waited patiently. The air of the castle always smelled heavily scented with perfume. I looked up to the bright, fancy chandelier that hung from the high ceiling, and finally followed with my eyes the fine long red carpet that ran up to the empty throne. I wondered where Zelda would be.

An old lady soon greeted me. She was short, and her pure white hair flowed down to her feet. This was Impa, but she looked nervous to have seen me there. "Impa, I wanted to show you something."

But she interrupted me. "Now's not the time. Please understand, I wanted to tell you sooner. this is important." She started for a door, but I stopped her and held up my left hand…

At the sight of the golden triangle, her eyes went wide and she took hold on my hand speechlessly. "What does this mean?" I asked. She looked at me with an expression I have seen before six years ago… "It means you have yet another destiny to follow!" What? Another destiny? "You are the one to find the Triforce of Courage. Never have I thought you would be thrown on a second quest."

"Where is Zelda?" I asked, but she became quiet again, and looked down sadly, like she didn't know where to begin. Sickening fear began to well up inside of me, and I could speak with barely a whisper. "Impa?"

"Link, come with me." She walked to the same door and I followed closely behind.

"What happened to her?" I begged for her to answer yet again.

"This is what I wanted to tell you when you came here." She stuttered on a few words before just saying it bluntly to me. "Zelda is under a spell of eternal sleep." She then looked at me and then seemed to apologize for just letting it out like that. At that moment, so many emotions hit me at once, and I was devastated! "What!? No! Is there something we can do? When did this happen?"

"Calm down, there is a way to help her." Impa assured me.

We came to a door down a hallway and I opened it. Inside was a royal master bedroom with finely kept bookcases nearby a desk and a view of the kingdom out the window. I felt sick again as I saw the princess lying on the bed in a deep sleep. A sleep she would not wake from.

I took a deep breath. "How did this happen?"

Then Impa seemed ready to explain. "This happened recently. The princess Zelda and her brother were arguing over the Triforce. When the king died, you know well the prince was next in line for the throne. He inherited the Triforce of Wisdom and Power for his rule. He wanted the third piece as well, but the Triforce of Courage has long ago been hidden." She seemed to pause for just a minute and glanced down at the princess that was like a daughter to her.

"The prince became upset, like he was driven by the thought of power." And then she glance back to me, her face reading of a calm anger.

"But then he learned that his father knew where it was, and told the princess rather than him. He asked Zelda where it was, but she refused to tell him. The prince made a terrible mistake, and questioned her again, but this time, he had a powerful wizard with him. The wizard threatened to cast a curse on the princess if she didn't tell them what she knew, but she still refused to talk. The wizard began to cast his curse, but the prince realized too late what he has done and tried to stop the chant. The powerful magician fought the prince off and finished the spell, the spell was so strong that the caster fell down and died. And the princess…"

I knew Zelda was having problems with her brother, but I never knew it would lead to this. She said she was worried for his behavior after the king passed away. But the prince would really do this to his own sister?

"What can we do?" I asked, breaking the silence.

"You are the only one who can help her, Link." She nodded at the symbol on my hand. "That mark on your hand tells me you can find the Triforce of Courage, and with the Triforce complete, it will grant any wish made." She replied.

I can wish for the spell to be broken! "But where can I find it?" I asked, feeling back on my feet. I saved her once, I thought, it should be easy to save her again.

She brought out a small chest and gave it to me. The same mark that was on my hand was also on the box. "Only you can open this. It has been past in my family over the generations for the one who will search for the missing piece of the sacred triangle."

There was a faint golden glow from the two marks as I placed my left hand over the surface and the chest was unlocked. I lifted the lid back, and instantly a smell of mustiness and dust floated out after the box creaked open. Inside was six clear oval crystals and an old scroll… I first went for the paper and unraveled it to reveal an ancient hylian language. I have never seen writing like it before, and yet, I read them like they were my own.

"You who'll control the Triforce of the future. I shall hand down to you the secrets of the Triforce. There are three kinds of Triforce - Power, Wisdom, and Courage. When these three are brought together, the Triforce will share its maximum power. Of the three, I have left Power and Wisdom in the kingdom. But the Triforce of Courage I have hidden for a reason. Not everybody can use the Triforce. It requires a strong character with no evil thoughts. But an inborn special quality is also necessary. Unfortunately, I have not found such a person during my lifetime. Therefore, I have decided to cast a spell on all of Hyrule. A crest will appear on a young man with that character who has been brought up correctly, has gained many kinds of experiences and reached a certain age. But, what will happen if someone else uses the Triforce before then? If it is misused, it will produce many evils."

"The Triforce of Courage is hidden in the Great Palace in the Valley of Death on the largest island in Hyrule. However, to enter you must first fight the guardians and undo the 'binding force'. When you have defeated the guardians, which I made to prevent enemies from invading the six palaces in Hyrule, set a crystal in the forehead of the statue you find. When you have set crystals in all of the statues in the six palaces, the 'binding force' placed on the Valley of Death will be removed and you will be able to enter the Great Palace. There you must fight the last guardian. And you can obtain the Triforce only by defeating that guardian. There's nothing to fear. You are the one to get the Triforce. You are the beacon of hope for Hyrule." *****

The scroll also showed the locations of the seven palaces on the back, the Parapa, Midoro, Island, Maze, Ocean, Hidden, and finally, the Great Palace.

"The journey will be dangerous, as you already know, but this one will prove far more dangerous than the last quest." Impa warned. "There are rumors being spread about you from monsters all around the kingdom."

I shook of the first part, for I wasn't afraid of danger. I have dealt with quite enough of it in my adventures, but I held curiosity with that last part. "About me?"

"They now believe if they kill you and sprinkle your blood upon the long dead ashes of Ganon, he will be resurrected!"

That's why I was attacked on the road for no reason. "Do you really think he can come back?" I asked.

"I don't know…" She admitted. "But it would seem possible, and that's why you need to take extra care. You will be attacked everywhere, and leaving your guard down for even a minute could be life-threatening."

I said nothing more, it was a lot to sink in. But taking to the road again didn't seem like a bad idea, and now that I knew there was a way to save Zelda, it didn't matter to me how dangerous it was.

"I should be the one to find the Triforce, not him!" Said a voice behind me, I turned around to see the prince enter the room and walk up to speak with Impa. "I am Zelda's brother, and I'm the one that has done this to her in the first place, I should be the one on this quest!" He stood tall and straight despite the crisis, but I could tell he was wracked with sorrow. He wore a fine red tunic that was complete with a flowing robe and a golden crown that sat atop his head. He did resemble his sister a bit with the blue eyes and noble expression, though his hair was a curlier and darker shade of brown.

"No, only Link may go. He has the mark on his hand, you don't." Impa pointed out sternly.

"I don't care about a single mark! You said it yourself, Impa. Monsters from all over are looking to kill him, he wouldn't last one day! And if they do, not only is he dead, but Ganon will be back as well! We can't risk this."

Impa's face tightened into a sincere frown. "'He wouldn't last one day'? Have you forgotten what he did six years ago? He heroically defeated the evil prince of darkness, Ganon, and brought your sister back home! How can you think he will fail in this? You should be ashamed of yourself!" The prince suddenly looked taken back, and without another word, he passed us and approached the sleeping princess.

Impa softened once more as she turned to me. "I will pray to the goddesses for your safety. Do not doubt in your abilities, I'm sure you have what it takes to bring the Triforce back. We will all be waiting for your return."

"I understand, thank you for trusting me." I looked over to the prince. He just stood there, staring off in the distance. I took a step towards him.

"Link," Impa called, and then continued quietly to me. "Be gentle with the prince, everyone makes mistakes, and he truly regrets this. When the spell was cast, the prince ordered that every girl born in the royal family will be named Zelda." She chuckled sadly. Wow, he would set a law like that? What would have Zelda thought? I slowly walked up to the sleeping princess and depressed prince.

Zelda looked really calm. I wondered if she was dreaming as she slept. We stood in silence for what seemed like the longest time before the prince spoke. "What have I done? What have I done…?" I heard him whisper. "I tried to fight him off, you know, the wizard… He was just too strong. Zelda was horrified as he began the chant, but she still didn't say a word about the Triforce. She didn't trust me" He smiled and stared down at his boots. "I guess she had good reason not to…" I said nothing and just watched him closed his eyes as he tried to chase the repeating scene in his head away.

"She was quite fond of you." He said in a cracking voice, and turned to look at me with tearful eyes. He then reached into a pouch he had and gave something wrapped in cloth to me. "She would have wanted you to have that. You had a birthday or something. She was talking about it constantly."

I moved the cloth back and looked at the beautiful pendent. The three triangles in the Triforce were made from pure sparkling silver on the matching chain. I clenched it tightly in my fist. She wanted to give this to me as a birthday present… Suddenly, I felt like I was hit with the news for the first time. I felt my eyes burn as even I began to cry for her curse. I pushed away the pain and brought back my confidence when I placed my hand on the prince's shoulder. "She's not gone, Your Majesty. I will come back with the Triforce of Courage, and she will come back to us. I swear it!"

The looked he gave me was still disbelieving, but I thought I saw a sparkle in his eye. I swung the pendent around my neck and walked out of the room.

None of the guards spoke; they just looked at me hopefully as I was led back out to the town. I never stopped and never slowed my pace. Zelda needed my help, and I would do all I could to save her. I looked down at the sparkling pendent, and thought of her. This would be a massive journey indeed.

 *** I didn't write anything that was on the scroll. I took this from Zelda II: Adventure of Link's game manual! I just thought it would be cool to use it here, seeing as everything on the scroll was already written.**


	3. Simple, but Useful Magic

**Chapter 3**

 **Simple, but Useful Magic**

I was in the heart of the castle town by now, and I stood there in the middle of the plaza and studied the locations on the scroll. The first palace, Parapa, was in a desert past a cave northeast of Rauru. The map still smelled of the box that it came from, and felt fragile and musty to the touch. When I was done looking at the many palaces, I carefully rolled the scroll up, placed it safely in a pouch, and strolled the streets back out to the wild roads. Seeing as how home was on the way, I could stock up on a few traveling supplies before I went to the palace. The city was now at its busiest and I had to push by the large crowd of people. Their chattering filled the air and muffled even the sound of the large, decorative fountain that was nearby.

Once when I left the gates and back onto the dirt roads, my ears still ringed and the calm now seemed sudden and lonely. I felt like I was once again exposed to the many monsters that were probably already stalking me. That last thought compelled me to glance around, but I saw nothing. I allowed my shoulders to relax with the exhale of my breath, and I took up the pace back to Rauru.

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By the time I was back home the sun had exploded thousands of colors in the sky. And I was so exhausted from the trip because I was attacked so much on the way. If this is the rate of how many monsters will fight, it will take forever to get anywhere!

The thought angered me, but I held my calm and walked to the other end of town to my small, wooden house. It was nothing special, but it was comfortable on the small occasions I was here. It was not a ramshackle of a house, and the wooden walls were quite fine and sturdy. The house only had one of every room that was important, it didn't have anything extra, but I didn't need such luxuries anyway. Now that I stood before my front door, I finally realized how tired I was. I shouldn't have been surprised, it has been a long day from the start of morning. I looked at the single dummy that stood to the side of the house as I was making my way up to the door. Its wooden armor was quite scratched up from my sword when I would train against it. I hardly needed that training, for now I was quite the expert swordsman, but I practiced in the yard in between journeys just to keep up with my sword. I tore my eyes from the dummy and to the door handle of my home and went in.

The broom I was using earlier was still lying on the floor, and the pile of dust sat beside it, but I left it there as I was too tired to finish the work. The house was already becoming quite dark, but I didn't bother with a candle. Instead, I came into my bedroom and decided that it was late enough that I should rest and gather supplies in the morning. I placed my equipment down on the floor and crawled under the simple blanket. The only sounds that I could hear were coming from outside. Crickets were already gathering for their nightly performance of music, and the few remaining chirps from birds were retreating for the rest of the night. I listened to the many sounds until it all seemed to fade with my consciousness.

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I woke up sometime in the morning. The chirping of birds and dawn sunshine seeped through the window, but my sleep was not restful. And I woke up with a panicking urge to get moving, like I needed to find the Triforce right away to wake Zelda! But I had to remind myself that this journey will not be finished anytime soon and it may take me weeks to complete this. The only thing I can do is just to keep moving forward as quick as I can.

I stood up and strapped the weapons back on my tunic, and walked to the living room. I ate the last breakfast I would have at home for a while and headed for the door, but I stopped when I saw an unlit candle resting on a shelf. I found that candle in a dungeon called 'Demon', and took it from a wizzrobe, or a hooded magic user. It was no ordinary candle, it could be lit with a simple thought, and if I was going in a cave, I might need it. I reached for the handle and removed it off the shelf.

People were already up and going into their daily chores as I moved to the east. I was ready for my first challenge.

"Hello, Link!" A lady in a long purple dress called. She was Grace, the daughter of the wise man in town. The elder was an old wizard who gave me the magical sword so long ago. "Oh, are you heading out again?" She asked, noticing my weapons.

"Yes, I am." I replied. "And I don't know when I'll be back. It might be a long time…"

"Good thing I caught you then. Father wanted to see you." I was beginning to feel inpatient.

"Um, I have something I need to do. Sorry."

But she stopped me again. "Just wait for a minute! He said it would be very helpful on your journey. He mastered a spell that you might like to learn."

I let out a sigh. A spell I might want to learn? I'm not a magic user! But the wise man normally gave good advice, besides, Grace was a nice woman, but once she made up her mind, there was nothing you could do to change it. I said nothing more, but just beckoned her to lead me.

She always had a bounce in her quick step, and I didn't walk for too long before we came to the elder's house. Grace walked up to the door and knocked on it several times. We waited for a few seconds for the door to creak as it opened. "Grace, my dear, what can I do for you?" The wise man said. He had a long white beard that seemed to flow down with the red robes he was wearing.

"Hello, father, I found Link. He was just leaving town."

"I see, thank you. Do you two want to come in?" He asked. I nodded and walked into the house, but Grace said she should be on her way and left. The elder then closed the door. "So you're leaving town again, huh? I remember when I wanted to explore the world in my adventurous youth! Well, that spell can help keep you safe."

"I don't know… You know I'm not a magic user, so I might not be able to learn it." I stated.

He walked to a bookshelf and began to ruffle through it. "Oh, nonsense! This is a simple spell, Link! Even you can learn it if you try hard enough. Maybe one day you will become a wizard if you do plenty studying." I just shrugged as he pulled a scroll down from the shelf and unraveled it.

"This is called 'Shield'. When cast it will defend you better. A large gash could have been a small cut with this! To cast it you have to focus and say the words written here. Do you want me to start?" He asked as he handed it to me.

"No, I'll try it." I assured him, but still feeling like this was a waste of time. I looked down at the scroll, and studied the words for a moment before closing my eyes and saying them out loud.

But nothing happened…

The wise man's laughter caught my attention. "How do I know if it worked?" I asked.

"You'll know. You will always know when a spell works. Here, let me cast it." Like a master, he said the words without the scroll and his red robes mysteriously faded to blue! "Now, even without a shield, I am defended."

I decided to try once more and took a deep breath before saying the words again, but still nothing happened. "What am I doing wrong?"

"Focus," He replied. "Simple focus, don't just say the words, feel them. Concentrate on the sound of the words on the scroll and try again."

I said the words once more, but this time, I closed my eyes to better focus on just the casting and I said the words more slowly. I heard clapping coming from the elder, and when I opened my eyes to look down at my tunic, I saw it had changed from its usual green to a rusty red. "Very well done, I knew you could do it! Keep on practicing and you will be able to cast it without the scroll, and you will be able to learn new magic."

My impatience of being told to cast magic was subsiding. Something about being able to cast a spell successfully was quite an amazing feeling! I took the wise man up on his offer and slipped the scroll down in my bag. "One more thing," He continued, holding up a finger to hold my attention. "There is an elder in every town in the kingdom of Hyrule, and they know powerful spells too. If you wish to learn more magic when you're on your journey, you can stop and ask them." Well, shield does sound pretty useful, and if a lot of the spells are like that, I just might take his advice. "Good luck." He said as I moved back to the door, I waved my farewell and was in town again.

Without stopping for anymore distractions, I picked back up my walk to the wild yet again. That spell did seem helpful, but the meeting took up some of my time, and I wanted to be on the road already! I sighed to myself. Instead of worrying about lost time, I just have to make the best of the time I had now. Besides, how much trouble can I really find even amongst the monsters? I was confidant that I could find the Triforce in no time flat. All what I had to do was to use my swordsmanship to fight the guardian in every palace. And since I was an expert fighter, I shouldn't find to much trouble with that. As I dwelt on those thoughts of rescue, I was perfectly comfortable when I came on the dangerous paths.

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I followed the dirt road as long as it would take me, and when it ended, I veered off into a forest as I made my way for the cave before the desert palace. The forest was dense, and I found that I was looking down at my map every few moments, hoping I was not leading myself off course. The deelers made it hard to keep moving as the red spiders would drop from their webs above my head, but if I knew they were coming, they were easy to be rid of.

The moblins were more of a problem, especially when there were deelers nearby. The blue skinned monstrous pigs would fight me with their weapons and I would have to be careful not to become too distracted in the battle or the deelers will attack. In the end, I was never happier to come across the cave! Maybe it's safer in there than it was in the forest?

The seeping darkness was so solid, I couldn't see anything through it. Thank the goddesses I brought the candle. With no source of fuel, a red flame engulfed the infinite wick and was strong enough to light almost every corner in the tunnel. I took caution as I walked in… It was so quiet in there that I held my breath at the slight shuffling of pebbles beneath my feet. I hoped the light from the candle wouldn't catch any unwanted attention.

After several minutes of silence, I saw a hard bluish shell that was covering the rest of a large beetle. The shell was actually quite beautiful with the variety of randomly colored flecks on it. But I had to be careful; this was a lowder, and while it looked harmless, lowders would attack anything moving as it was said that they eat life energy. This beetle would be hard to move around when this tunnel was so narrow. But other than waiting for it to move on its own, I had to take the risk.

I walked slowly towards the back of the lowder, and hoped that it would never even notice me. But sneaking up on such a monster was like trying to sneak up to a fly! Just after the first two steps, it turned around like it knew I was there. I froze in hesitation, and for a while we simply stared at each other. But then its tiny millions of legs started to shuffle forward like rhythmic waves and the closer the beetle came to me, the faster it ran.

I slid my sword from its sheath and waited for when the lowder was close enough. Then I dropped my sword heavily on its head. The shell protecting the beast was no match for the mighty blow and the lowder was crushed.

Looks like they did more than eat life energy, it seemed as if it can sense it as well. That would give them more of an advantage of hunting for their food if so. But I was not a researcher and had more important things on my mind. I stopped my pondering there and continued across the cave quietly and cautiously watched for any more monsters. But I didn't encounter anything else and soon came to the end of the tunnel.

I could see the Parapa palace towering in the distance past the sand dunes in the wide open desert. From the safety of the cave, I could see the monsters lurking underneath the hot sun, leevers and geldarms mostly.

I took a step forward onto the sand and almost at once, I could feel the heat beating down on me, but luckily, the sun will be sinking below the horizon in just a few hours. So I fought the desert environment, but if the heat wasn't enough, the monsters were. The tall, skinny bugs like large centipedes, geldarms, stood straight up, attempting to block my path by tunneling up from the sand and just being in my way of travel. And the leevers, such strange creatures, were burrowing from under the sand to stab me with the sharp blades on their mound like bodies.

It was a tough trip for me, and I quickly grew exhausted and was running out of water… The palace was so close, but I have never felt so far from it. The air and sand were good at deceiving travelers as I began to make out things that weren't really there. I pulled my sword from its sheath and slashed uselessly against a geldarm only for it to vanish back underground with the rest of the floating dust.

Soon, I couldn't tell which enemies were real and not. I looked to the towering temple past the dunes and let out a sigh. It's was going to take me forever to reach it! Come on, Link, I urged myself on, you have been in some rough situations before! This was not going to kill you! But the more I walked, the harder it was for me to keep going. I knew that I had to cross the desert, but I had forgotten just how tiring and hot it was.

I felt as if I was losing my mind, and I was even more convinced when I thought I heard a malicious laugh that seemed to stretch and echo across the dunes. For the first time in a long time, I felt fear grip me helplessly and I was forced to stop and focus on where it was coming from.

The sand seemed to swirl around a form in front of me. And as I shielded my eyes from the shifting sand, the air cleared and the figure came into view. It was a large and monstrous beast that much resembled a moblin. He was covered from in heavy, and dark armor, leaving only his boar shaped head free for me to see him. I held my breath as I recognized him to be Ganon, the prince of darkness I fought so long ago. I suddenly felt afraid, and instantly drew my sword.

"Ganon, you're alive?! How did you get here?" I cried out, quite shocked. But he only taunted me by punching his fist into the other one before dispelling again into the hot air. I waited for him to reappear like he did in our battle. But as I stood in the middle of the desert, glancing all around me, everything seemed to return to what it was before, and I realized that I was just seeing things.

And perhaps I was still delusional, because I thought I saw green trees next to an oasis… Delusional or not, I chose to see if it was real, and as I neared it, not only did the vision stay, but it neared to me as well. I placed my hand on the wood of the palm tree. The texture was strong and healthy, and dark green grass grew around a small pool of water even in the stifling condition. I bent low and trapped the clear, reflective water in my cupped hands. The liquid felt cooling as it hit my face, and I drank from the pool before refilling the water skin. I then left the small desert paradise behind and continued the trip feeling refreshed.

Sunset colors seeped into the sand and the temperature began to drop. The sand shifted beneath my brown boots as I placed one foot in front of the other. But finally, with the sky already dark, I stepped up the brick platform just before the Parapa palace door…


	4. The Grand Parapa Palace

**Chapter 4**

 **The Grand Parapa Palace**

The large archway had statues armored from head to toe of tall monsters called ironknuckles flanking either side of it. There was a platform at the end of the wall, and it stood tall enough for a person to stand under its own roof. Was this the entrance? I shrugged and moved past the statues to stand there and as I soon as I was on it, it suddenly moved down in the dangerous temple. The movement shook my balance, but I held my calm. The brick pattern repeated constantly in front of my eyes until the elevator rested on the ground below it. I couldn't see anything that was aggressive further in. I took a step in and glanced up, suddenly breathless at the beauty of the palace. The palace was made from really fine yellow bricks, and decorated with matching pillars. The windows were set near the high ceiling, and they let in beams of white moonlight onto the ground in front of me.

I held my sword and shield close; I wasn't convinced the guardian was the only monster to fight in there. I was an expert on temples, and they usually had other challenges and monsters to oppose. The silence was quite calming, and I embraced the feelings of stepping into the unknown. Most people would fear to walk into a mystery, but I was not most people, and I was not afraid in the slightest. Nothing would dare to fight and achieve victory over the Chosen One. Nothing even had the skill to give me too much of a challenge.

A growl suddenly, as if from nowhere, broke the calm, and at the end of the wide hallway, I noticed a wosu was charging straight for me with paws clamped around a sword. The golden armor gleamed in the white light from the high windows, and its light gray snout was wrinkled into a frown. But he was without strategy and when he came close enough, I easily defended myself by striking the sword aside and stabbing the creature.

"That's all you got?!" I yelled at it as the wosu fell to the carpet. "That wasn't even swordplay! You disgust me." But that was not the only one, soon more were revealed charging all at once to me. It seemed this temple held thousands of them! But just like the first, they didn't put up a tough fight. I fought them all, and never slowed. My sword flashed and flew in every direction, and sadly for me, it didn't take a lot of skill to kill the horde.

When the floor was littered with the monsters and they stopped appearing, I moved ahead. At the end of the majestic hallway was a split to the left and right, but my only choice was to the right as the left was blocked by a locked door. I would have to come back later with a key, I concluded. As I drew my attention to the room next to me, I saw a wider room with sets of cracked blocks making a staircase up to a door. Something didn't feel right, again, it became too quiet.

I lightly placed my foot on the first step… It may have been cracked, but it seemed to hold my weight. So when I decided it was safe enough, I stepped up fully on the first stair.

But before I could go much further, the door up ahead of me opened and more wosu came out and charged angrily. I held my sword up threateningly, but a sudden painful burn on my leg caused me to drop forward and fall over a few of the stairs. I looked behind me; above the door I came in was a statue of a dragon's head and it every now and then; it spit blue flashing magic at me. I rolled to the side of the step to avoid it, but then felt a hard kick to my head that made me clamp my jaw hard and I was crushed under the weight of the tripping wosu before he rolled to the base of the staircase.

My head throbbed from the kick, but I knew I had to stand up. The wosu stood up as well and approached me. I took a step up a stair before turning around to strike with my weapon and it fell back down, but there were more coming through the door. I had to keep moving so the ra's, as the dragon heads were called, bolts wouldn't reach me. I danced about the floor dodging the missiles and swung my sword at the wosu group seemingly at the same time.

After they dropped and I had the chance, I quickly ran in the door and shut it behind me forcefully, quite glad to be away from the magic that still burned my leg. And then I noticed that this room was warmer than the other ones I've been in, and this was supported by the hot smell of boiling lava and after taking a quick glance at the room, I found the source. The floor was split in several platforms and lava filled the gaps. The only way I could see to cross them was to jump over the gaps!

I took a step closer and looked down at the red boiling lava that bubbled continuously. The view of the lava several feet down would have made someone sick and dizzy, but I was not bothered by the feeling. I was young and reckless, I didn't even think that there was a chance I could fall! The platform was quite far off, I would have to give myself quite a bit of distance to make this jump. I backed up to the door, and prepared to make a strong dash. Even having dealt with situations like this before, it hit me for just a moment of what I was about to do, and my heart began to pound, I started to sweat. And an unwanted thought came up to the surface that I would be passing over the lava that could kill me if I didn't push off hard enough. But that thought didn't stay for more than a second, like a hidden emotion, I managed to push that away. I was no stranger to such risks, it was just how I lived. Now with those sudden uncertainties gone, I was ready, and broke into my fastest run.

And as I came close to going over, I pushed off when my foot met with the edge, and threw my hands out in front on me. The edge of the rough rock surface was forcibly shoved against my chest, and for a second, I hung just over a molten doom. Luckily, the platform held sturdy, and I was able to pull myself up safely. from there, I could see there were two more platforms, but they were a lot closer than the last one. So I picked myself up from the ground and allowed no break as I ran again and jumped to the next piece of ground. I hardly stopped, for I decided that the more I kept moving, the better momentum I will have, and therefore, the safer it will be to soar over the gaps. After landing safely near the center of the last platform, I saw that there was a stone tiled bridge that led to a larger part of the room on the other side.

"Just a bit further." I said to myself as I walked on the bridge, but I hesitated when a cracking sound was followed by the swallow of lava. The tiles were falling! There was no time to delay any longer! Without looking back, I sprinted dead ahead as the sound of the falling tiles became louder and more frequent. The ground beneath my feet was merciful and I quickly left the unstable bridge and was back on solid rock. I instantly, now that I was safe again, I dropped to my knees and was trying to catch the breath that I didn't know I lost in the first place. The sound of the sunken bridge bubbled and sucked as the lava pulled it in. And an unsafe smell followed when the stone turned hot red, like it was becoming molten rock itself.

When I was ready to stand once more, I walked on the larger rock surface and took in my surroundings. Lava filled more of the gaps at the edge of the rocky ground, and an ironknuckle stood there in the center like he was waiting for me. It was dressed in the armor like the statues at the entrance had. And as he saw me, he brought out a massive blade that he wielded easily in one hand and pointed it to me threateningly.

"Finally," I said, unsheathing my own sword. "Perhaps you can give me the challenge I'm looking for."

He waited a moment before swinging a heavy strike to me, and I was pushed back by his tremendous strength despite that I had used my shield. But now it was my turn to strike, and I tried to attack the creature's tall legs, but even with the clunky armor, he managed to block with his own shield. I then quickly lifted my sword up as a feint, and when the ironknuckle reacted by raising his shield up to the right, I slashed at the legs once more. A deep yell came from underneath the helmet, and then he swung his sword from overhead in anger, but I was already to the left side of him.

The monster swung his sword once more, but this time horizontally, and I dodged by jumping back a bit, but my foot slipped and I had to grab the edge as not to drop in the lava below me. I had to pull myself up before the ironknuckle could strike! It happened so quickly; he approached and lifted his heavily armored boot. I knew he planned to push me off, and I dropped with one hand to shove my shield into the large foot. He stumbled backwards off-balanced, and that was my chance! I crawled back up and raised my sword up to fight my opponent once more.

He recovered by meeting my charge with his massively wicked blade and our weapons clashed together in a loud clang that overtook the chamber. There was no way I could push back an enemy like that! I needed to find his weakness. The sound of clanging swords still carried across the chamber as we struck, parried, and dodged.

I saw an opening when my opponent parried my sword to the side, and I didn't hesitate! My sword seeped through the ironknuckle's defenses, and then I knew he was seriously injured, for he struggled just to hold on to his weapons. The blade in his grasp shook as he tried to swing, and when I easily dodged the strike, the force of the attack sent him to the floor face down. "Well, that was more entertaining than with the wosu. But the fight could've lasted a bit longer with one of your strength, wouldn't you say?"

I took the rupees that fell out of his wallet, and just continued on my way without stopping to look at him much longer. The door ahead took me to a wide room with many directions to choose from. A crack at the end of an overhanging pillar spilled out drops of lava straight into a small pool below it, but every now and then, a blue drop would come out and land outside of the pool where it then would become a bot. Slimy and slow gel creatures that weren't hard to get rid of, but did tend to slow me down. An elevator that looked a lot like the one at the entrance stood in the center of the room. But there remained enough space to explore behind the elevator as well.

The bots wiggled over to me and looked as it they were about to jump. I pulled free my sword, and jabbed the sharp edge through the gel. The creatures' strange bodies jiggled before melting as a sudden liquid on the floor. There was no point to sheath my sword then, for the monsters seemed endless! I moved towards the elevator then, but decided to look around it first. The torches in the room failed to light the thinning passage at the far end of the wall. And I couldn't see anything that was down it. The thought came that I should investigate further, and at first, I was torn in two directions, but then I decided to see where the elevator would take me first. As I turned back to the magical floor, the only thing I saw was the vivid blue of a bot soaring for my face! The gel body slapped quite hard against my skin, leaving a lingering sting from the impact. But I held my ground and stayed on my feet as I swung down at the bots that had grouped up to attack me. "Nasty creatures!" I yelled, feeling steamed by their existence.

Once they were out of my way, I hurried to the elevator before many more could follow! Just like at the entrance, the platform sank slowly down in the passage as soon as I stepped down on it. The moving platform didn't fall for very long before it slowed safely down and rested on the room's floor.

As I walked forward, I noticed a line of torches that stretched and followed the wall to the right. Some were lit, some were not, and another line followed the opposite wall as well, but not one were lit on that side. Rocks and pottery sat by the corners of the small room, and statues stood in front of the words that were written on the wall.

"Copy the pattern to light the way."

"Copy the pattern"? What pattern? Does it mean the statues? I moved back around to the giant stone men and inspected the weapons and the faces, but they were identical. I then, turned my attention to the ceiling and floor, but the only pattern I noticed were the bricks. There had to be something here, I thought as I then looked over to the pottery and stones sitting on the floor, and I thought I saw something sparkle within one of the vases. I lifted the pot, but all the others held the same resemblance. Suddenly, now that I held it, I didn't want to put it back down. I threw it against the wall, and a sharp shattering sound split as the shards of the once beautiful masterpiece fell quite satisfyingly to the ground. That shattering of glass at my throw soothed some anger that I didn't now I had. Whatever the case, it felt good to cause such destruction. A blue rupee was the only item unharmed, and I took it before breaking the other pots.

My gaze rested on the only other thing in the room. The torches' flames didn't match. "Light the way". That's the clue. I took out my candle and saw the pattern in the right wall torches. I turned to the unlit row and held up the candle. I lit the first two, missed one, lit one more, and let the last torch as it was. Now that the row on either side matched, the words upon the wall began to glow mysteriously. Them, the brick upon where the words were carved scrapped back and revealed a secret hole where a key hid. I took it, and after making sure that this was all the room had to offer, I went back to the elevator.

I then remembered a locked door at the beginning of the palace as the platform lifted me back up to the last room. I instantly charged past the bothersome bots and was almost to the door where I fought with the ironknuckle when I stopped to realize; the tiled bridge from before that, fell into the lava, and now, I won't be able to cross that path again… I had to find a way forward on a different course.

There was still an unexplored area behind the elevator. I could only hope that it would help me reach back to the beginning. I turned back around and moved back towards the passage I had yet to go down. By now, many bots have formed together, but I didn't want to spend too much time with them, and only hacked through the monsters that stood in my way. The pathway wasn't difficult to reach though, and I followed down its turn and it then became a little darker.

As soon as I was down the passage, I smelled a damp muskiness, and the sound of pouring water quickly followed. It was just around the corner when I found that it flowed from a vent and into a small crevice that was to the side of the path. I examined the clear liquid and when I found it to be completely clean, I refilled my supply before walking forward. The tunnel stretched on forever with only the sound of the water to break the dead silence. But eventually, The darkened road came to an end.

With nowhere else to go.

I sighed, and couldn't help but to kick the wall in my frustration. Why would this path lead to nothing? There was no way out now! Not when my only way back was unreachable. I stared at the dead end and tried hopelessly to find a solution of some sort. I've been in terrible situations like this before, and it was an insult to me that I let myself fall into another one! But perhaps, there was nothing to prevent it?

It was only when I stopped to ponder that last thought when I noticed something weird about that wall in front of me. There seemed to be a perfect crease running up and down the bricks. I froze, is this what I thought this was? I quickly went for my candle to help give me a better look, and I ran my fingers across the straight line. Yes, this seemed to be a door! I set my magical candle down carefully on the ground and tried to open the hidden door. After a minute or so of a close inspection, I bent down and lifted it up. And as soon as I stepped into the room after retrieving my candle, I instantly recognized where this was. I was back in the beginning with the cracked staircase and ra head. To think this passage was here all along. I went right by it!

Not only was I now at the beginning like I hoped I'd be, but this room was just past the locked door I wanted to find again. Personally, I couldn't wait to fight the guardian! I loved a good fight and wanted to put the guardian down in his place.

 **Author's Note: I actually wanted to post this a while ago, but then I notice how long this chapter was. Originally, this covered the entire temple, but I didn't want to overwhelm my readers, so tell me, has the chapter sizes been ok so far? The paragraphs not to long and cramped? Let me know, because that can frustrate any fanfic! As always, thanks for reading! See you later!**


	5. The First Guardian, Horsehead

**Chapter 5**

 **The First Guardian, Horsehead**

I cautiously stepped out of the hidden door, but as soon as I did so, the ra still saw me and at once began to shoot missiles to strike against me again. But luckily, as this was the first time I could truly observe this magic, the missiles were slow, like a floating blue sphere. But as I sidestepped around it, the missile changed direction and followed me! Suddenly, I was thankful that there was just that one ra, and not several others. I still had little trouble, and quickly left the spell behind.

I was already digging around for my key before I even reached the door at the end of the hall. Like I predicted, the key was a perfect fit, and the door frame creaked quietly open. Something was unsettling to me as I stepped in. I didn't know what, but it felt like the air itself was telling me to turn and leave. But I fought those urges and stayed, telling myself that there was nothing that I couldn't handle, and that's when I heard heavy clunking and breathing. As I slowly rounded a bend, I saw the tall statue where one of the crystals belonged, but I also saw the guardian in front of it.

Tremendously tall and dangerous, Horsehead was protected by really tough looking armor. Just as the name suggests; it stood upright like a human, but the head looked entirely like a horse's. It stared down at me like I was an intruding pest, and stood unsurprised like it knew I was coming. It already clenched onto a small mace, a tower of a weapon to me, but really still too small for a beast of such size.

I faced the threat by unsheathing my sword, The monster had to stoop low to attack me, which was a clear disadvantage for it, for I must still be careful, for now its legs could become an easier weapon to use. But Horsehead must have favored its tiny mace, because it bent down and tried to sweep me away. I used its disadvantage against it though, and was already gone before its mace touched the ground. I never stopped running until I was near its leg, and I leveled my blade and swept it back across. The monster was so tall, that I managed to only hit its knee. I had aimed for a seam in its armor, but still my sword bounced harmlessly off of the red armor. Must have been quite a protective armor, But surely it had a weakness? I was careful of the now swinging legs as I looked up. It looked like the animal like head was the only thing unprotected by the thick crimson armor. But how could I reach it?

I jumped back as Horsehead bent low again and swung the mace in front of me. But this time, Horsehead was relentless and swung back around again and again. I countered the first attack with my shield, and then quickly rolled under the weapon with his next strike. Now, before it could stand straight again, I made my move, and reached up to grab hold on its arm. This was a dangerous tactic, but it was the only one I could think of, besides, I was confidant of my strategy. I knew to hold on tight as I was bound to be flailed back and forth, but I managed to keep my hold and I then climbed up to the shoulder. The guardian then passed its mace from one hand to the other, but by the time it did that, I had already struck the face. The beast howled, and I knew it was going to crush me with its large hands if I didn't move out of the way. I had no fear, I jumped straight down to the ground.

The guardian let out a horse-like cry as red streaks lined its face. I brought my shield back up to block the swung mace, but it had a lot of power behind it, and I was shoved to the floor. The mace was coming down on me this time, and solid instinct was the only thing that made me roll out of the way in time for the tough mace to whirl next to me and crack the stone floor where I was just lying.

I quickly returned to my feet and sheathed my weapons to better take the opportunity to grab the arm again, but Horsehead wasn't about to let me strike again, and was more determined to try and grab me. My muscles strained when I struggled to pull myself up. I knew I had to move fast, but when I finally managed to stand up on his arm, his other hand was already wrapping around me. I couldn't let it take me, but there was little I could do to protect myself! I felt desperation screaming at me to do something, but I only reached down helplessly and tried to hold on to his armored limb. The intent was futile however, for I knew my arms were no match to the strength of the Horsehead's, and he just pulled back harder until I was forced to let go.

Horsehead glared at me angrily with rolling drips of blood painting its face. There was no escaping his grip! I still fought stubbornly, but only wished I had my sword in my hand. With every struggle I made, the grip around me became a little tighter, soon, I didn't even have the strength to fight. No, my blood began to boil and race, and I fought to hold onto my consciousness when I could no longer breathe. Darkness flitted through my vision, but yet, I held onto my pride. Don't let this monster kill you! I thought, you, Hero of Hyrule, have not been done in by the great Ganon! This mere beast didn't have the power to be rid of you.

But deep inside, I knew there was no way out. And that was a great offense to me. I was the hero, and can not be defeated or killed! But the monster was not loosening its grip, and there was nothing I could do to harm it.

But was the battle over? No, I told myself, don't think so foolishly! But my lungs burned for air, and even my bones felt grinded. But just I lost focus, the hand suddenly and unexpected flung me to the wall with all its might. I was hardly aware of the act though until I felt soaring pain from colliding with the hard brick wall. The room became dark as my vision was blurry, and I felt like I was going to faint, but I denied such a weakness, and shook it off. Through my lightheadedness, I saw the tall guardian approaching. But then something happened.

A ripping anger took place, and I felt driven to attack! Like it was the only thing that mattered in the world. I pushed off from the wall and sprinted right towards it, not feeling much of the severe pain that no doubt was there. A crumbling explosion sounded behind me where Horsehead struck the wall, but I didn't look back as I ran under the legs, and until I was at the back of the giant beast. It turned around and brought its mace before me again. If I was in the right state of mind, I would have focused on casting "Shield" to protect myself from further damage, but I was so angry, I didn't even think of it. Horsehead was already so close that the monster bent low in another attack, but I saw an opening, and if I can avoid the weapon and run around it, I could reach the head without climbing up its shoulder.

I waited for the moment, and took off once more. The mace breezed nearby, but I made it past safely and struck the flesh of Horsehead. Without hesitation, it then stood straight again and tried to kick at me, but rather than running, I took the risk and jumped onto the foot. When it couldn't shake me free, It bent down and swung the mace in attempts of shoving me off, but with the sword still in hand, I took hold of the guardian's arm again.

And when it raised its arm to fling me, I was high enough that I held on with one hand and stabbed the face with my weapon. The yell followed more of a whinny this time, and Horsehead leaned forward and became limp. As it fell down to the floor, I jumped safely away from the impact and the heavy beast seemed to rumble the entire chamber and probably cracked the floor underneath it. Even after its death, the trouble it has caused me still held my rage. In my maddening anger, I did not celebrate the defeat of the first guardian. I felt hate for the beast since it glared down at me like I was nothing to look at and was not even going to offer much of a fight. Well, look who won, I thought, and kicked at the beast's head.

It was then, as I stood there, that the pounding of my heart started to settle with my anger. With a clear head, I pondered on what just happened, and why I felt the way I did just a second ago. Now, I felt the severity of my wounds, and deep inside, I pushed away the realization that Horsehead almost killed me. The entirety of my body felt throbbing and sore, my back hurt to remain upright, and I felt small trickles running down from what felt like painful scrapes.

But my ego wouldn't let me collapse there, even if I was alone. And I knew there was one last step to follow before I left that place. I reached into my bag and pulled free one of the small clear gems. The statue that remained waiting was of a large face without a body. It was quite expressionless, but stern. I moved forward to it, feeling every strain and bruise the more I walked. Just like the ancient scroll said, a small hollow was carved out of the forehead. And as I came close enough to it, I found myself quite surprised on the statue's condition, judging from what the scroll said, it was quite old, but the stone face was perfect! It was not in the least bit weathered, and I would have been less shocked if I was told someone carved it just the other day. But I suppose the rest of the palace didn't seemed very old as well.

I reached up and slid the gem into the hollow. The jewel started to glow a colorless light when it was in place, and I turned to leave. A staircase that looked like it could lead outside was conveniently placed in the wall next to the statue. If it hurt me to walk, then every nerve in my body reacted with every step on that flight.

But I pushed myself all the way up the stairs to a door that was locked from the inside. I swung the door open and stepped outside onto another brick patio. Perhaps it was a good thing that I pushed myself up the stairs despite my wounds, because almost as soon as I was safely out of the palace, the land was struck with an earthquake! Pillars, walls, and rooms of the temple one by one collapsed. Each loud tumble and chaos followed the other until the quaking stopped when Parapa Palace was completely destroyed and unenterable. How did that happen? Was my timing a coincidence? I would have been more stupefied about it all, but my injuries pulled me down and didn't allow emotion. I could fight it no longer, even if I wanted to, I fell to the brick and was instantly asleep.

 **Author's Note: Hey, thanks for reading! And this is where things get even more interesting. Well, I think so, but hopefully for you as well. I know not much happened in this chapter, but now that the first palace is done, things are starting to get spiced up. This was originally part of chapter four, but I split it up at the boss scene to shorten the last chapter a bit.**

 **Thanks to Irene T447, who honestly reviewed every chapter so far and is changing the way I see this story for the better!**

 **Onward to my next chapter, "An Unexpected Visit".**


	6. An Unexpected Visit

**Chapter 6**

 **An Unexpected Visit**

I was somewhere between asleep and awake. I didn't know how long I was lying there, but I could feel I was in some pain, and I felt like I was awake, but I couldn't move or respond to anything. After a few more moments, I'm pretty sure I fell asleep again, but it's hard to say.

Well, when I noticed my surroundings once more, I was able to sit up… The heat of the desert was wrapped around me even from the canopy. My head hurt and my body was covered in large bruises and sores. I didn't know what time it was, but it looked like it was almost noon. Compared to when I came outside from fighting Horsehead when the night was starting to wane, I must have slept for quite some time. I cursed my luck, for it was easy for me to sleep in! Either way, I had to move on, even if I was still weak.

I shuffled in my bags for a minute and brought the scroll the elder gave me and studied the words. I thought that it would be safer and smarter to cast the spell, but in the end, I didn't. Truthfully, and I wouldn't have admitted it at the time, but I was too defiant. I didn't want the pity on myself, for I was stubborn and too prideful to allow myself any weakness. After eating a light breakfast, I hoisted myself on my feet. Every inch of my body protested and begged me to rest more, but I suppressed the fight and pushed forward.

The desert was hot, and was more of a challenge for me than when I first came here. I didn't even have the energy to chase down monsters, but still fought with those that came near. I didn't even try very hard to avoid them, even though that would have saved me some trouble.

As I neared the cave, I found that I was thinking of the last time I was here when Ganon came to me as a hallucination. Why did I think of him so much? He's dead, he's old news, I thought, and there's no way he could come back! It's all lies! But still it bothered me, although I wouldn't allow myself to dig deep enough to find out why. The only thing I knew is, hallucination or not, I didn't want to see him again. I wasn't aware that I quickened my pace to a jog until I reached the cave safe away from the desert.

I walked for hours since I left the palace, and the forest was just as crowded with moblins and deelers. But finally, I found the road! I stopped, and wanted nothing more but to collapse onto the dirt. The wounds I had now were my own fault, I had never stopped even for a breath to calm my aching body. Ever since I left the desert, I pushed on, and I pushed hard, and now I only felt worse. But I held my restraint to kiss the ground and took out my map to mask the feeling.

The dirt road stretched on the map to the town of Rauru, that was just a few miles south from here, and then it led to the always visible castle at the east. The ancient map said that the Midoro Palace was in a swamp several hours south of my hometown and to the west.

Everything was on schedule. I was already making my way to the second palace! If the temples are all easy like this, then I will have the Triforce in no time at all! That boosted my pride a bit, and I nearly ran out of childish excitement down the road.

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I was tired and still sore as I came back into my hometown. Night was already closing the town in a restful hug, and I made my way across the sleepy streets to my house. Who would have thought that I would come back to the beginning? To my house? I didn't know Midoro would have me passing Rauru again. Which made me think, how come I never found these palaces? I traveled a lot, and if I found an old temple, of course I would explore it in a heartbeat!

Suppose I'll never know, I shrugged. By the time those thoughts ran through and finished, I was back at my own doorsteps. I was thinking of continuing down the road despite my state of exhaustion, for I was excited to find the Triforce, but I convinced myself otherwise. It was late, and it didn't matter how soon I would find every single palace. I would be forced to sleep eventually.

The house was still in the exact same state that I left it in, and just like my last visit when I came back from the castle, it was dark and quiet. That day felt so long ago! But a day in a temple always felt like fifty to me.

Every ache resurfaced as I removed my equipment and lied down on the bed, but I was so tired that it didn't matter to me, and as the sound sleeper I was, as soon as I was comfortable, I was asleep.

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I woke up still wishing I was asleep, and the remaining soreness reminded me of a foolish decision to keep marching, but I still wouldn't dare to admit that, even to myself. I knew I should wake up and continue to Midoro, but with every movement my very bones refused, and for many minutes, I remained in bed. I was fighting the urge to sleep more, but was already giving in when something shocked me fully awake!

A rhythmic pounding at the door had me up on my feet and reaching for my sword in an instant. But I froze before I even touched it, shaking my head. I was startled by the sound and my fighter instincts led me to my sword. But I highly doubted that whoever was outside was my enemy, so instead of relying on my weapons this time, I straightened my clothes and cut across the living room to answer the door.

The young man waiting patiently behind the wooden frame held his posture perfectly upright, and he wore a regal red tunic that was backed with the purple cape behind it. Even though he chose not to wear his crown, I knew his face and curly hair well enough to know who he was. "Your majesty!? What are you doing here?" I asked, failing to keep the shock from my voice.

"Link, I can't tell you what a relief it is that you're in town." He didn't look very pleased, and I think it was safe to say he wasn't at my house for a pleasant visit.

"Why aren't you wearing a robe? People are going to recognize you, and then the whole town will be suspicious!" I finished my statement by unceremoniously reaching out and pulling him into the house. After a short yell in reply, the prince cleared his throat and smoothed his fine clothes as I shut the door.

"Ah yes," He started, obviously feeling embarrassed by my act. "So tell me, Link, have you already been to a palace?"

I didn't reply at first. I was in no mood for small talk, and really wished I was on the road already. "What does it matter to you?"

He looked taken aback. "Umm... Just asking. With my sister's life at stake, I thought it reasonable to know." That response left me like a slap in the face, but it only had me feeling angry. "Where's the next palace?" He continued. If he noticed my anger at all, he chose to ignore it. "You're back in Rauru, so it has to be on the way, right? Where was the last one?"

I was fed up with his games. "Just tell me why you're standing here so I could get going already!"

But he never slowed. "Judging by your bruises and the fact that it has been a few days, you probably just came from the last temple!"

It was no good, I realized. I needed to leave, and he was taking my precious daylight! I huffed out a quick sigh and didn't say anything more as I went back to my room to grab my equipment. He seemed to shut up for a short moment and just waited for me to come back. By the time I had everything I needed however, I wasn't about to stand there and let the prince ask anything more. I came tromping in the living room and moved for the door. "Where are you going?!" He asked when he finally realized I was leaving.

"To the south!" That was the only answer I planned on giving and I even had the door open when the prince spoke next.

"No, that's no good. It'll led you nowhere."

I stopped, wondering why he would say such a thing and turned. By now, I could feel my anger dripping like venom. "Why? Why will the road take me nowhere?"

He took a deep breath and gave a relaxed answer. "Because the road south is blocked by a boulder between the cliff pass. My men are trying to move it away as we speak but it's going to take time. Time I don't think you want to take."

"That's a lie!" I accused without thinking, and as the words came out, it hit me how rude it was.

Now it was the prince's turn to be angered. "Why would I lie about that? And have you take the long way throughout the kingdom and into the mountains all the way by Ruto? I wouldn't delay you, not when I want my sister back as soon as possible!"

Silence past between us then, and I didn't dare move an inch because even that felt like an insult. But something nagged at me then, and I couldn't keep quiet when it slowly came to me why he was here. I spoke when the thoughts formed whole and when I was absolutely sure on my predictions. "Is that why you're here? To wake Zelda as soon as possible? You doubted me when I was at the castle, and now you think you can fix this yourself?" The prince opened his mouth to speak but I wasn't done. "That's why you were asking all of those questions, because you want to clear the rest of the palaces yourself." That was it, that was the sole reason he stood in my house, and I was not pleased with his doubt.

"Yes," He admitted, not backing down but standing straight like the royal heir he was. "That's why I'm here. I came wanting to know which palace to go to next."

"You can't. You're not the chosen one! You heard what Impa said, _I_ am the only one who can find the Triforce." I finished with my hand on my chest to emphasize my point, but I knew that wouldn't make him budge.

He shook his curly head with Zelda's unrelenting stubbornness. "I told you, I don't care about a single mark! Lady Impa may be wise, but that doesn't mean she knows everything. You may be the chosen one, but I still don't see why I would be unable to fight the guardians. And that's why I'm coming with you."

"What? No, you can't! You don't even know how to fight like I do!"

At first, I thought he flinched because I found a weakness, but then he reached for the thin sword on his hip. He slid it from its sheath expertly and pointed the singing tip towards me. "Just because you're a hero doesn't mean you're perfect." Anger glistened in his eyes and he looked more determined than ever I seen him before. "I'm coming, and there's nothing you can do to scare me off."

I stood dumbfounded at the other end of his rapier, not even knowing what to say back to that. I had looked for any kind of weakness to attack, but now I was the one struck with nothing to say, and deep inside, I felt a churning pain from his accusation. "Come, _hero._ " He spat the title like it was an insult and slid the royal blade away. "We have a long journey before us if we are to reach the area south of the blocked road."

This conversation was done, he shoved his way past me and was out onto the streets. I was left at the first step in my house, my mind rehearsing everything that was said and forced me to look down at my feet. I could not even muster the courage now to object his majesty from coming, I knew it will do no good. I shook off the thoughts that continued, stepped outside into the town, and closed the door behind me before rushing off to catch up with the prince of Hyrule. But still his voice chased me down.

 _Just because you're a hero doesn't mean you're perfect._

 **Author's Note; Thanks for reading again. So what do you think? Pretty shocking, right?**

 **I have a little, important note for you though. I don't want to give the prince a name because he's not an original character. He never appeared in Zelda II, but he was mentioned in the plot at the beginning and there was even a picture of him in the instruction booklet. But he was not given a name anywhere, and I don't want to give him one because I always thought it was cheesy to give untitled characters a name.**

 **But that's just me, what's your opinion? Please leave me a review, I need more helpers! Your thoughts are really appreciated!**


	7. The Unsafe Plains and a Stolen Trophy

**Chapter 7 The Unsafe Plains and a Stolen Trophy**

We walked in silence, and I avoided meeting his eye contact like even that will make me explode with rage, and I often wondered if he felt the same. Our boots clomped rhythmically and sent up small puffs of dirt in bravado with our march. The sun was pleasantly warm and shown itself free in a pure blue sky with few sailing clouds. The birds and bugs sang in harmony as they celebrated the fine weather. The road was clear and the short rolling hills allowed a far view. From the dirt roads near the castle, one could see everything from the distant forests, the tall soaring mountains, and finally the beautiful castle itself.

Hyrule's white castle still looked the same as it always has, so breathtaking and glorious, but now it seemed to only defy the dark secret inside it. I tore my gaze from the mighty towers to see it held the prince's attention as well. He looked longing, like he wanted to change his mind and just go home.

Now that he saw me staring, I could not cowardly break the glare, and so I held it a while before I mustered the strength the shatter the agonizing quiet. "You still have a choice."

The prince frowned for only a moment before laughing quietly and shaking his head. "I have no desire to go back home. Not after what I've done."

It was useless to press it further, so I settled on the sight of the road ahead and ignored him, but he didn't look away from me. "You don't know what it's like. I'm supposed to be their king, I was expected to help the people and be their leader, but after this? What's worse is not being pushed to fix this myself. Everyone just wants me to linger and wait, but I can't handle the stares, and undoubtedly the thoughts in their heads. I'm a tyrant."

I wanted to push back the past argument, and yell that he can't fix this, but, for once in my life, I chose to wisely hold my tongue. Yelling such an accusation will only bring the argument back up with no resolutions. And so, we fell into the same rhythm once more until...

"Link! Get him!" The disgruntled voices caused both me and the prince to look back where the dense forest was where a small group of moblins ran with cause towards us. They pointed, yelled, and charged with spears.

I drew my sword and the prince followed with a touch of confusion. I couldn't hold a tired sigh. "Here we go again." I remarked quietly.

His majesty heard me and glanced over to me as we waited for our opponents. "This happens a lot?"

"Oh, yeah." I answered, and by then the group of moblins were near enough to take a swing at us. I sidestepped clear of the spear weapon leading and batted it aside with my shield. The clumsy thing stumbled with the direction of its spear, but I had no time to fight with it more. From a quick glance, there seemed to be seven moblins, and every last one of them were charging at me like my companion never existed!

But the prince was prepared and intervened, taking quite a few off my back. Moblin spears flew everywhere in front of my eyes as they began swarming around me. They tried to mingle in a circle and surround me, but I couldn't let that happen! I slashed at the ones moving behind me, but that gave too much of an opening for the ones ahead. Unable to block every attack, I jumped back so the ones that were behind were then in front. The moblin now to the left went for an overhead swing. I lifted my shield and braced my muscles to steady the hit, but now that the other saw that I was busy, he took the chance for a low pierce. I crouched low and tried to redirect the piercing moblin's weapon. My plan worked, but I felt the sharp edge graze my back as his weapon cleared away. I had no time to nurse the pain! I stabbed at the first moblin's legs and raised up to my feet when he flinched and dropped the spear down.

As I rose up, I could see the prince. He was fighting well and now had more moblins than I did! His movements twirled, struck in rapid succession, and matched against the enemies' in a royal splendor. And I didn't even realize at first that he has already fell two of the beasts!

In that short moment, I hated the prince's gut. And watching him fight so well against the moblins made me feel one thing.

Jealousy.

Quite simply, I hated that he wasn't struggling! As the Hero of Hyrule, I should be the best fighter in the land! That made the all familiar rage build back up inside me yet again. And here, I had an output. With all the strength my arms could possibly muster, I slammed my sword down hard right on the already injured moblin's head. Then, knowing another moblin to be almost completely behind me, I spun on my heels and used the momentum to cut the air with my weapon. My sword's flying attack was suddenly stopped however, having struck the moblin's spear so hard that my blade was embedded in the wood. Pulling back against it will only give me a disadvantage, and so I kicked high and landed the blow into the moblin's stomach. The force shoved him violently backwards, and the spear was yanked free from the sword.

Another moblin already made his way over to me and was ready to attack. He jostled the spear forward, but I saw him long before he even he started the attack, and backed out of range in time. With his spear now safely away, I stepped in front of him, still aware of the moblin I had sent to the ground next to me. I shot my sword high then low, and he met both strikes, first with the tip and last with the wood. Then, I struck his other side, thinking to keep him busy in every direction, but after only a few clashes, he quickly grew tired of my useless antics. He grasped the shaft horizontally with both hands and roughly shoved into me. I was in the middle of another attack at the time, and could do nothing as I stumbled and fell to the ground.

I was at a clear disadvantage, and to make matters even worse, the moblin I had pushed down was already standing back up. More concerning to me right in that moment though, was of the moblin standing over me. He took his spear, and I watched him closely for the right moment to dodge. But the opportunity never came.

The prince came running in from the side with his rapier. The moblin saw the next opponent and turned to meet him, but he never had time to bring his spear up. His royal highness was already in the midst of a stab when he approached the moblin. The glittering sword entered between the connection of arm and chest and the moblin fell away. Now, the noble sword was spattered with the monster's blood.

My opportunity for dodging the attack was needless now, and with my feelings towards the prince, I couldn't keep quiet. "I didn't need your help!" I yelled.

The young man's face twisted in confusion before he shrugged. "What do you mean?" He replied. "I'm involved in this battle too. Was I supposed to stand by and watch?"

I didn't bother to answer, but to sate my want to continue the argument, I subconsciously clenched my teeth and rolled away from the last standing moblin. My stubborn companion ran up to it next, but I was not going to let him take the last kill. I was up on my feet in no time and rushed to join the battle.

The moblin flailed his weapon between us and was slowly trying to back up, like he was wanting to run. But it was too late for him. Like I was competing with the prince of Hyrule, I was little focused on my defense, and was all offense. My moves were wide and targeted any opening the moblin had. But defense was also important, and with every wrong move I made, the prince had cover for me. After protecting my every opening, the moblin became distracted by the prince's strikes, and I was able to creep over to the side enough to end the fight.

Now that the battle had been won, I wiped my sword down and continued down the road without a word. "Wait up!" The prince called. He rushed at my side before settling in pace. "You're injured, shouldn't we stop to rest for a while?"

"No," I shot back, never slowing, but feeling the aftermath of the spear that grazed me. "We need to reach Ruto as soon as possible. We wasted enough time already."

"How unwise!" The prince returned. "Does this decision have anything to do with what happened back there?" He paused, like that was a real question awaiting a real answer. But I felt like it was pointless and he was only seeking to attack me with words, so I remained quiet. But then, the prince caught up to that as well. "I thought so." He stated, clearly thinking of when I yelled at him. "You know, you have a pride issue."

He struck close, too close. I stopped my pace and turned to face him. "This has nothing to do with pride! If it wasn't for you, I would probably be in the next palace already!"

"No, you wouldn't. If I never came to your door, that roadblock would still be there and you would have wasted even more time backtracking."

I sighed, faced with the realization that he was right and picked my pace up again. "Then quit slowing me down."

"Zelda would cry if she saw you like this." He continued from behind.

That last step I took I let explode in a cloud of dust on the road and I glared at him once more. "I told you, I don't have a pride issue!"

His Highness let that go finally, and like before the battle, we continued yet again in silence. That argument, however, lingered like a sting, and his accusations led me to think of Zelda for the first time in quite a while.

* * *

The sun began to set when we finally stopped for a rest. My wound from when the spear glazed the side of my back was raw and dried blood crusted around it. The prince observed me as I placed a hand over the injury. "You should clean that now that you can. It would be bad if it got infected."

"Maybe later." I returned, removing my hand and trying to look normal once more. I thought I saw the prince shake his head, but I couldn't be sure. I pretended not to notice him and let that slide past.

After a moment of rest, we decided it was smart to find a more concealed place to sleep. In the middle of plains however, it was hard to find such a place. But after walking and searching for almost an hour, we found that one of the hills were sloped enough to make an overhang. The prince moved in and took only a few minutes to settle down before he lied down to sleep.

I left only for a short while to clean and bandage my wound before returning to find a comfortable position to sleep as well. If the prince was still awake when I settled, he remained quiet and I drifted off to sleep without a word between us.

* * *

Ganon plagued my sleep that night. I saw him, like he glared into my world from the afterlife. He watched patiently. And he waited for my blood to be spilled so he could rise again. I felt that he continued to stare until it burned me from the inside out.

So far, I had refused the rumors. I didn't even give much of a thought about if Ganon could really come back or not. But now, I was scared. Like from when I saw him in the desert, he gave me a fright that nothing else could.

But something else was amongst the camp. And if I wasn't trapped somewhere in my unconscious mind, I would have heard someone shuffling in my bags. But now that I was more awake than asleep, the sound stopped.

And was replaced with approaching footsteps.

I opened my eyes and saw a silhouette standing in front of me. As I continued to look at it and tried to decipher who it was, the form froze, like it wasn't supposed to be caught. "Your Highness?" I asked, wondering why the prince would be awake at this time.

And that was when I saw the white gleam of a dagger.

Instinct woke me fully and made me quickly reached for my equipment. The form was startled and it backed away before throwing the shiny blade, but I managed to pull the shield in front of me in time. The force used to throw the weapon made it bounce far off my shield.

The form moved to collect the fallen dagger and I stood up. A quick glance to the side allowed me to see that Zelda's brother, the prince, was starting to stir from groggy sleep off to the side. And as if to finally show my attacker, the still young moon shone white onto its face and revealed its identity as a lone goriya.

The short rodent beast took a step back and put the dagger away only to replace it with a boomerang. I waited for the monster to throw it towards me so I could easily sidestep around it and run nearer to the goriya. I stayed further away than I wished, but I knew the boomerang would come soaring back in no time. I tried to stab him from my angle anyway, but he easily stepped out of harm.

"What's going on?"

I glanced to the side to briefly see the prince on his feet, awake and with weapon drawn. I didn't reply to his confusion, for by that point, the goriya reached to catch the boomerang. Now was my best chance. I took a step closer and slashed at the monster. Like before, the goriya jumped back, but not in time to stop my sword from creating a gash on its arm.

The monster looked at the open wound with a horrified realization, and ran in the other direction. "Link, he took our supplies!" My companion yelled and pointed to a large bag that the goriya picked up before running.

Together, we broke into a dash to keep up with it. The grass ruffled from a gentle night breeze that felt like a hurricane's wind against us. I breathed in the smell of fresh nature with every huff, and I felt like we weren't alone in the chase. Owls and crickets offered their voices of encouragement, and the trees seemed alive when they ruffled their leaves together, giving a sound like that of ocean waves.

The goriya was quick, having always stayed in front of us, but fortunately, we never fell behind. And the chase couldn't go on forever. And so, we ran on and left our camp suddenly abandoned. I became tired fast from little sleep and from the wound I had, but I didn't dare slow and let Zelda's brother reach the monster first!

I had felt like I had run forever, but just when I was wishing I had brought more weapons like arrows or bombs, a small cave came into view, and the goriya was running straight for it. How long could that cave be, I asked myself, was it a maze? Or perhaps it led all the way through back to the outdoors? Or maybe, it was simply a dead end. Either way, now was my time to catch the tricky beast.

The small rodent with the large bag of stolen goods disappeared into the dark mouth of the cave. And I was already reaching for my candle and sword before I broke into my quickest run. With a thought, the candle was lit and revealed the surprisingly smooth and narrow walls as I entered in behind the monster. Aches hung upside down on the ceiling and watched me with their small, beady eyes. They appeared curious, and almost seemed like the light was bothering them a bit, but they remained where they were. Perhaps they were too tired to care?

Whatever it was that made them not wanting to bother me was now the last thing on my mind. I could hear sobbing, and even with the echo, I knew the thief was close by. The soft cries drove me to continue down the passage. The cave was quite small and simple, and after walking a short distance forward, I saw him.

The goriya sat as a pitiful lump. Having tucked himself into the tightest, most guilty ball he possibly could. And he hid his face against the wall, like he thought I wouldn't be able to hurt him if he didn't see me. The bag that had our belongings in it sat, spilling over behind him. "Please..." The goriya choked out once his voice let him. "I want to live! I will return everything I've stolen, so please just leave me alone." I looked back at the bag behind him. The things he stole were all jumbled together. Provisions thrown in with currency, the prince's jewels crowding my scroll of shield, and the crystal gems mixed like common rupees. "I know I attacked you earlier, but now I'm asking you not to do the same!"

Here he was, begging for mercy, but I hardly even processed what he said. Deep down, I only cared about the gems that Impa had given me. And if he was somehow about to escape, then my quest would have been forced to come to a halt. It would have been humiliating to me to have my quest stopped because I lost the ancient crystals to a lowly goriya.

I could almost feel the glimmer that my sword caught from the flickering candle.

"Please!" The rodent beast cried again.

The emotions provoked me to the return of ire like a resurfacing symptom of a sickness. And I only expressed those feelings by frowning at the monster with nothing to say. But the longer I looked at him, the more upset I became.

"I promise I will never steal from anyone or anything ever again!"

I thought of running him through, to place the pitiful creature out of its misery. But then, a simple question filtered through my mind; what was I doing? Was I going to run a helpless creature down? As if there was an echo from thought to word, my companion finally showed up clomping from behind me and said alarmingly, "What are you doing?"

He shook me from my thoughts, and I recoiled from the truth of what I was about to do. I then moved to sheath my sword to find that I was pointing it threateningly at the goriya the whole time. I tried to reply then, but couldn't find a way to start. His Highness didn't spare me a moment's glance anyway, but just moved to pick up the bag, to which the goriya whimpered and shrank back closer to the wall and away from the prince. "We should go." The prince stated without pause and instantly walked back the way we came. My own thoughts had left me in an aftermath of shame that I desperately didn't want the prince, or the goriya either, to see. But I still couldn't help to look back at the pitiful creature as I followed behind my companion. The goriya still remained curled up, but watched us retreat with wide, dampen eyes.

It didn't take us long to reach outside again. And once we were clear from the cave, the noble turned to look at me. "What went on in there?" He asked.

Yet again, I stumbled for a reply. I knew what he was asking, but I couldn't bare to admit it to him. "What do you mean? I chased the goriya into the cave and after he surrendered, you came in and-"

"Saw you about to end the life of a helpless beast that was begging for mercy?" As if his point was the last to be stated, he dropped the bag on the grass and started to go through it. "It doesn't matter if the beast was Ganon himself asking to be spared, a true hero wouldn't do such a cruel act."

A shudder coursed through my body at the mere mention of my greatest enemy. "I wasn't about to kill him!" I denied, trying to find a spit of truth in my own statement. After all, I was already withdrawing my threat from the goriya right before the prince barged in.

"Then what were you doing?" The prince answered, this time though, his voice was calmer.

But I still hesitated. And I never moved to help him, I just stood off to the side, watching him.

"I thought so," He concluded, never stopping his work. "My sister always admired you, but now I can't see why."

That shocked words from my mouth. "Stop bringing Zelda into our fights! Even if I was going to kill that monster back there, why would you stop me anyway?"

The prince continued to sort the stolen things in silence until he stood up, my items in hand. "Because I don't want to regret another wrong doing." He dropped everything of mine into my arms. "We should move away from this place. What do you think, _Hero_?"

Again, he used that title like an insult and walked away. I looked down at my stuff that he has given back to me. Everything seemed to all be here, but there was also something that wasn't mine. Resting on the top was a small trophy of a golden angel with her hands on her chest and wide wings spread out on either side.

Was it His Majesty's? Where did it come from?


	8. Hiker's in the Town of Ruto

**Chapter 8**

 **"** **Hiker's" in the Town of Ruto**

We were still in the midst of night when we found the dirt path again. We were not going to backtrack all that way to where we made camp. Not like we left anything behind anyways. And so, I stifled a yawn as we continued on our way. Like last time, when we finally decided to stop again, it took us probably close to an hour to find somewhere that might be even safer.

We were close to another set of woods and just a few hours away from Ruto. But the night already has thinned concernedly since the attack from the goriya. We never found anything as safe as the overhang, and we had to settle for a tight copse of trees. Suppose it was better than sleeping in the wide plain, but I didn't want to take any more risks with this.

I approached a solid tree and wrapped my arms around the lowest branch. "Where do you think you're going?" The prince asked, eyeing at me suspiciously.

"I'm sleeping up here tonight. I'm thinking it may be the safest place to sleep in all of Hyrule for me." I answered, feeling frustrated and not wanting to be attacked anymore. My entire weight dangled just from the branch when I then tried to swing my legs on top. The wood groaned quietly as if I woke it from a thousand-year slumber.

The prince scoffed and dropped his bags and equipment before sitting down. "Just don't bother me when the deelers start to bite."

I didn't even reply, but continued to climb. With my knees now on the branch, I looked up to see higher boughs more nested in the green canopy of leaves. I lifted both of my arms towards it, but when I couldn't reach; I carefully brought myself into a standing position. The wood began to groan again and lower under my weight, but it was strong enough to hold, and I was able to reach higher up. After climbing a few more branches, I settled down, surrounded by the leaves of the strong tree.

My perch was not very comfortable, but I still preferred it to the unsafe ground where His Highness was now lying. Despite the hard branches that made as my bed, I was so tired and was not awake for very long.

* * *

I didn't know how long I slept, and I still kept my eyes closed, but I could hear slight shushing of leaves and quiet bird whispers. Even with eyes close, daylight filtered in. I finally looked to see the day seeping through in patterns of shifting shadows from the leaves that sheltered me.

And that's when I noticed the small brown bird looking at me from its perch on the tip of my boot. The little feathers ruffled up as a breeze sailed past, making the bird look round and fat. It turned its head to smooth down some of the plume before finally chirping me a farewell and disappearing somewhere I couldn't see.

"Hey, Link! Are you awake?"

The prince's voice shot me from my relaxed state of post-sleep. I tried, without falling off, to sit up and look down to see him. He was standing, already looking formal, brushed off, and straightened. He was glaring up at my branch, but now we had eye contact. "Come on, we should be off!" He then turned around and started to gather a few of the items he had out.

As soon as I moved to leave the branch, my back and neck instantly complained from sleeping on hard bark for so long. I ignored the stiff muscles and was careful when swinging down one branch at a time. I was even quick enough to reach the ground as the prince was done packing. Together, we headed back yet again to that dirt road, where Ruto was just two or three hours away. "Are you always such a deep sleeper?" My companion asked.

I didn't know if he was asking out of simple curiosity, or if it was a matter-of-fact statement that he framed as a question. And so, I didn't know any other way to answer but with another question. "Why? It that such a bad thing?"

He must thought it wasn't worth to elaborate, because he kept quiet after that.

* * *

We finally made it to the town of Ruto! But I still held a lingering feeling of disappointment with the knowledge that this wasn't our destination. No, Ruto was just the beginning goal before starting a wide and tedious sweep down into the swamp miles and miles away.

With every person who was passed, the prince was received of a second, lengthy look back. Soon, I felt like we drew too much attention amongst the town and it was making me feel very exposed. "You really should be wearing robes or something of the sort." I remarked quietly, "All this speculation has to be unhealthy for my quest."

"Our quest," He corrected but agreed with my point. "But yes, at the time, I didn't even think to bring something less suspicious, but now, I'm feeling that regret. Do you think someone might recognize me for who I am? I don't want to be forced back to the castle."

"'forced back'? Impa didn't know you left?" I asked, genuinely shocked. He froze, and looked off to the side like he didn't mean to let that out. "I can't believe it!" I exclaimed. "You wanted to crash into my plans that much?"

"Lady Impa doesn't understand!" He replied, only confirming my accusation. "She was never the downfall of any friend, let alone a sister! She wanted me to stay, and trust that everything will be all right, But I couldn't. This is too important, I need to be the one to save my sister."

"Why can't you trust me?" I asked. "I saved Zelda once, I can save her again. What have I done that to make you think otherwise?"

"Nothing, I just..."

I waited for him to finish his thought, but he never did. "Just what?"

"It's just... This may be harder than you think. You saved her once, true, but just because you've done this before, or because Zelda needs help again wouldn't make this simple." It's not like he has been on a quest of this importance before, I thought, it's not in his place to say that. Of course it would be simple! I was chosen, and rightly so!

I shook off his last comment and changed the subject. "It's quite possible for you to be recognized here." I shot. "The very least you could have done is try to look like a commoner. That's usually what Zelda does when she comes into town looking for me." But anger rose in me from his distrust and I attacked him again. "And don't you dare say our quest! Never forget that you forced me to bring you along. It's still my quest, because I'm the only one who can find the Triforce!"

"I'm not arguing with you right now." He lowered his voice and glanced around for anymore eyes upon us. "Where are we going? Surely we're stopping for some supplies before we leave."

How dare he be so stubborn about everything! What a noble, thinking he can get away with anything! But the only thought I let out was a sigh. Arguing will only bring more attention to ourselves. So I guess he was right this time. I tried to cool my temper with him for once and spoke calmly. "Trust me, I know of a great place that will likely have everything we need. They will even have commoner's equipment and armor."

The prince simply nodded and followed close behind as I led him to the shop I was really familiar with. It was a small, wooden building, but they were always stocked with everything I needed. A faded, old sign hung, swinging in the wind, that simply had "Hiker's" written on it in white, swerving letters.

I pulled open the creaking door and stepped in first. "Welcome to Hiker's." The lady at the counter greeted me. At first I thought it to be Eva Hiker, the daughter of the shop owner who likes to help with the business, but I then realized her to be Diane, Eva's mother. Like her daughter, Diane had long brown hair that fell to her waist, and the same green eyes. Winkles from age and hard work lined her face, but at the same time, she sparkled with life and excitement. "Oh, I remember you! You're Link, right?" She asked, and I nodded. The noble of Hyrule came from behind me and looked out of place in his fine, royal robes standing in such an old and poor shop. "Yes, that's right. I'm glad to see you're well." I answered.

"Thank you. I am quite tired today, but I am thankful for such wonderful help." She replied, smiling to Eva who showed up carrying a short open crate with some items to the shelves.

"Oh, hello, Link!" Eva exclaimed without stopping. "Exploring Hyrule Kingdom again? You must have been everywhere on the map by now." She placed some of the items away in an organized fashion.

"Yes," I agreed, feeling proud of my achievements. "Pretty unbelievable, isn't it?" But the prince must not have thought of it that way, because he frowned in his glare from the girl to me. I didn't know what he was thinking, but whatever it was, he remained silent.

But Eva didn't notice his disapproving stare. She stood up, all of her mother's merchandise finely positioned on the shelves. "It is." She replied to me. But even though I was the only one who noticed my companion's frustration, he didn't go unseen for much longer. "So, who's your friend?"

The prince's expression changed from slight anger to one with wide eyes and unwanted attention. "Oh, we're not friends." He stumbled. I looked back at him and silently begged for him to think up a story, quick! "I'm just a... traveler." He answered. "Yes, that's how we met!"

Eva furrowed her brow in confusion. "You wear such fine jewels and silken clothes for a traveler."

I couldn't bare the prince's faltering cover up much longer. "He's from a rich family." I blurted, and we exchanged nervous glances. "In another land."

"Yeah," He continued, playing along. "I wanted to see what was beyond our border."

But Eva didn't seem like she was buying our impromptu tale. "Uh, all right?" But luckily for the two of us, she accepted it. "Well, it's an honor to have someone of a well-known family in our humble store. Nice to meet you." Still holding the empty crate, she gave a courteous bow to the prince and a warm smile to me before she left to gather more to stock.

The prince heaved off all his tension in one sigh, and without another word, left to look at the clothes and armor. I let him wander off alone and I stayed close to where I was so I could shop for my own supplies. The shop became quiet and peaceful, Eva moved from shelf to shelf, and Diane was organizing in some of the backrooms. The two of them would talk with each other every now and then, either about the town or their work, but they were focused with their business, and I shopped silently.

That was until I had everything I needed and still the prince never moved from where he was. I shook my head; he was probably stuck on what to buy. But I gave him more time and went to the counter to pay for what I had.

Diane was quick to notice me and approached the other side of the table to count what I had. "So Link, I heard you tell Eva that you're on another journey. Where are you going now?"

I didn't hesitate to tell her the truth. Just because I explored the map often doesn't mean she had to know exactly why. "I'm going to the southern swamps."

"Thirty-five rupees," She concluded, and I took the amount from my wallet. "Isn't there a safer road to the east? The mountain is quite dangerous to travel through."

"Well, yes, but I was told about a rock slide that's now blocking that road. And I won't let a roadblock keep me from going to the swamp, besides, I'm not scared of the mountain." I answered while gathering up the bought goods.

"Really?" Diane asked. "How did that rock slide happen?"

I was honestly surprised when I couldn't answer that. From the past few days, I have been fighting with him so much, I never even thought asked His Majesty that question. I looked over to where the armor was, where the prince stood with his arms formally crossed as he thought hard still about what to buy. "I... I don't know."

"It was just there when you found it, huh?" Eva's mother finished. "Well, be careful, young swordsman."

"Um, thank you." I didn't need to be careful, but she was just trying to show respect. I left the counter and joined the prince.

"You were fast." He simply stated.

"I guess I was, or you are just taking forever on a decision."

He looked at me and shrugged. "I've never done this before." He admitted. I felt like snapping at him, that it was quite common to shop for things you need. But I held my tongue. Of course he's never done this before! He grew up with everyone doing everything for him.

I sighed. "All right, here goes. Don't pick the most expensive, that's why you're buying in the first place. And don't buy armor that has a lot of metal on it. I've seen you fight, and you will only be slowed down in that type of armor."

"Then what am I looking for?" He curiously asked.

"Pick something simple, something that doesn't stand out too much. You're quick, so you won't need the protection of a heavy, metal suit. You might want..." I thought for a moment. "-One of leather. Yes, it's light enough for you to keep your speed, but will still protect you from a lot of strikes."

"Like this one?" He asked, pointing to a stand that held mild leather with thicker padding on weaker areas. The colors weren't consistent, the padding was of a slightly darker brown than the almost beige of the rest of the suit.

"That one's perfect." I answered.

The lady that came in to shop a few minutes ago didn't have a lot of my attention, but she was now ahead of us and stood at the counter, paying for the items she chose. "So, how is the elder doing?" I heard Diane asked the middle-aged woman.

"He's doing fine, I suppose." She answered. "But he's still pretty upset, and I have no idea what to do with him. Have you heard anything?"

I muted out the rest of the conversation when the prince spoke again. "Thanks, I guess. So is that everything we need?"

"Yes," I quickly responded with little thought. "We should get to the swamps as fast as possible." He agreed and we moved closer to the counter where the female customer was still talking with Diane.

The lady sighed. "I just don't know if we're ever to find that trophy." That last part struck me. She's looking for a trophy? The same one the prince gave me?

But I didn't respond in time. "Trophy?" My companion asked. I'd guess he was asking the same questions.

The woman turned to look at him. "Have you seen it? It's a small statue of a golden angel with wings. I beg you, where is it?"

"I saw it, but I thought it was Link's." He answered and gestured to me, but I was already searching for the statuette.

Her face soured, and she turned to me next. "You," She accused. "You are the one who stole it? I would have never guessed! How could you take something that means so much to us?!"

Her accusation stung, made me angry, and I raised my voice in response. "Calm down! You need to know what really happened before you throw your weight around! We met with a goriya that took it, but we got it back." I removed the trophy and presented it to her. Her face lit up and she took it from me. "No need to thank me, I suppose." I shot.

She carefully cradled the statue, and dared not to meet my eyes as her face dropped in shame. Like a misbehaving child, she apologized. "I'm sorry. This trophy is precious to the elder. It has been passed down to us from many generations, from his grandfather's father. I was upset with the thought of it being lost forever. I spoke out of line."

"It's all right," The prince spoke. "At least you have it back now." Now, I just felt offended. It wasn't his place to say it was all right! She accused me of thievery!

"Yes," She agreed, much to my dismay. "Thank you. But I'll have you both know, that I set a reward to whoever brought it back. As soon as you're done here, come meet us at the elder's residence. It's the tallest house in town and it has many windows."

The offer of a reward didn't make me feel any less insulted, but at least she apologized. I opened my mouth to reply, but again, His Highness had to control every decision. "Thanks, but we don't need a reward."

"Well, I'm going home anyway to show my uncle the good news. Stop by if you change your mind." And she paid Diane before stepping back out the door.

"You just say whatever you want without asking me about it." I accused when she was gone.

But he just looked confused. "What? Don't tell me you want a prize. Heroes help people just for doing the right thing, am I wrong?"

I was tired of him using my title as an insult. "No, but you are not the leader. Remember that this is my quest!"

The prince opened his mouth to argue, but we were interrupted by Diane who cleared her throat. She smiled as she stood patiently behind the counter, but her eyebrows were raised like she had knowledge of the argument and wanted it to hush down. "I humbly apologize." The prince stated, approaching the table. "That was very childish. I would like to buy that cheap leather armor."

"Seventy rupees." She replied, and I shook my head in disbelief of the prince's need to control as Eva was sent to retrieve the armor. Seventy rupees might as well have been five for how the prince just handed it over. And that left me wondering just how much money he brought on this journey. Not like that mattered, for such a high rank as his, it was wise to bring a lot of money, but I was more concerned of him bringing too much. It might draw attention, and even thieves if they knew about it.

Eva came to our side of the counter to give His Majesty what he bought. "See you around some time." She told me. I nodded and she returned to work. Our business was done here, and Ruto was just the first stepping stone to pass before we could reach my next palace, Midoro. In the southern swamps.


	9. A New Spell and a Challenge Yet to Come

**Chapter 9**

 **A New Spell and a Challenge Yet to Come**

"Do a lot of girls talk to you like that?"

"What do you mean?" I asked back, never stopping my walk on the cobble streets. It was well into the middle of the day, but soon, we would be making our way to the mountain just south of here.

The prince stumbled for a reply. "Like- well... I think she likes you."

I couldn't hold back laughter at his absurd conclusion. "Are you crazy!?" I cleared my throat to speak more clearly. "No, I've known her for some time. We live in different towns, but whenever I'm leaving for a while, I like to stop there to gather supplies."

"Which makes me think." He started again, now clearing his thought of romance. "Why do you travel like that? Was it common for you to just leave home before six years ago for the sole purpose to explore?"

"What are you saying?" I responded. But the truth was, I didn't know an answer to this question. "That killing Ganon has changed me?"

"Well, I didn't know you back then, so I could only assume or ask. It's just... I find there's little reason for it." I was growing offended and I opened my mouth to interrupt, but he cut me off. "Listen to me. Where do you see yourself in a decade? Still a lone traveler who always leaves home? You need to decide where your life is going, and I don't think this exploring is doing anything for you."

Again, I tried to speak, but I found that I could not. Where was my life going? It was funny to think that I never pondered that thought. No, I wasn't going to give into his pestering. What he asked was personal, and I wasn't going to give him an answer. But the truth was, I didn't have one. I didn't know what I was aiming for. And if I was completely honest with myself, he sounded really wise. He reminded me of his sister, Zelda... How he was talking of taking choices, but he was of royal blood. His life was laid down before him; he was becoming king and he didn't have a choice about who he wanted to be.

He remained quiet and allowed me to sit on his statement, and even though I refused to give in, I still thought about the question and was seeking an answer from myself. I focused on my surroundings to shake off the thoughts, and that was when I noticed the tallest building in town with the many windows.

The lady was standing in the doorway talking with who I presumed to be the elder. Like the elder back in my hometown, his long white beard fell to his waist, and his face was old and filled with countless wrinkles, but the wisdom still shown in his eyes. As we neared the house on our way south, I heard them talking. "I have to make sure their kindness doesn't go rewarded!"

"Uncle, don't be silly." I heard the lady reply. "Stay here, if they want a reward, they will come to us."

Now we were close enough for her eyes to catch us. She said nothing, but her face told the elder everything. He turned around and called out to us. "Are you the people who found my precious trophy?"

"Uncle, please don't bother them."

"Oh, I'll only take a second!" He exclaimed as he briskly walked to us. "I wanted to thank you in person. This trophy you found means the world to me. I was close to my grandfather who gave it to me, and I can't tell you how relieved I am to have it back!"

"We happened to find it by accident." I spoke up before the prince could take over. "I didn't even know what it was or where it came from."

"It doesn't matter to me how you found it, I'm just so pleased that it's home. Please let me reward you." Before we could protest, he dropped several rupees in both of our arms and was checking the pockets in his robes for something else. "Also," he continued. "I was undecided what else to give you two, because I wanted to give you more than money. Then I decided to pick one of my spells that I don't need with me much longer." He removed a wrapped scroll and handed it to me. "But I must warn you; this is a simple spell to cast, but hard to use as a novice."

I caught my companion's eye and shrugged. We might as well accept the gifts now. "I wish you luck, wherever you two are going." The elder then reached to shake my hand, but I had to shift the money and scroll in order to return the gratitude awkwardly. And after paying respect to His Majesty, he backed away. "May the Goddesses guide you!"

His niece was shaking her head when he came back to the door, but she couldn't hide her smile for her crazy uncle. Now that we were free, it was easy for me to slip the rewards quickly away. Once my hands were free of the rupees, I opened the scroll, curious what it would have on it. Above the old, written chant was the simple word, "Jump". What kind of spell is that? The only thing I could think of is that it'll let me jump further or higher. I rolled it back up and slipped it with my last scroll, and the elder turned just in time to wave at us when we picked up the pace.

Once we reached the border of town, we could see the mountain just sitting on the horizon. But it was too steep and dangerous for a lot of people to climb. This mountain next to the village used to be a mine, I knew, the quickest way to the other side was to travel _through_ it, but that didn't make it any less dangerous. People have abandoned the place years ago because they had a more rich mine else where, and that left these tunnels free for anything to sneak in.

* * *

We had only traveled close to an hour when we stopped to eat before going in. I sat down on the grass and reached into my bags for the rations that I had brought, but the prince left, saying something about this being the best time to change into his new armor. I didn't think he had to leave to strap on the leather, he was going to keep wearing his underclothes, and with him being royalty, he probably didn't know how to change by himself. But perhaps that's why he left; he was afraid that I would make fun of his lack of knowing anything that a commoner would know.

I didn't care to bother him about it. I remained seated in my place on the grass, eating bread and dry meat. He was gone for quite a while, and I wondered if he was struggling with his armor. But soon, he appeared and was walking towards me. Even from here I can see a lot of the buckles were too loose or not buckled at all. But the leather made him look more like an everyday person, save he was still wearing some royal jewelry. The brown suit mingled with the color of his curly hair, and just for a moment, I didn't recognize him as the soon-to-be king of Hyrule.

The prince furrowed his face, suddenly seeming embarrassed. "Um, so what do you think? Does it hide my identity as Prince?"

I bit off one more bite of the meat before setting my meal on the pouch that I took it from on the ground. I stood up and moved near him to fix the buckles. He made no protest, but I could tell he was uncomfortable. I didn't mock him though, I just adjusted the straps and went back to finish my meal. "Better, but you should remove your jewelry too."

At the mention of the riches, he exclaimed like he forgot them altogether and started to take off the rings one by one. He then sat next to me and brought out his food. "Now you look like a commoner." I stated. "No one will give you a second look."

"Good," He replied, obviously relieved.

Silence passed between us. The late afternoon sun was catching the ground like orange fire, and birds flitted looking like racing black spots across the suddenly clouded sky. The mountain never budged against the rising, but yet steady, wind that the clouds brought with them. I looked up at the clouds covering the forever sky and making it seem a lot shorter. With them sailing right in, and bringing such a breeze with them, I realized it could bring rain as well. But for right now, the weather was pleasant.

I finished the last of the bread and dusted the crumbs off before placing the pouch back on my belt. But my companion needed more time to eat his meal. No rush, I thought, I have been pushing myself to my limit for quite some time now, and now was a rare moment to relax. I may have chosen to stay quiet, but my mind raced from one thought to another. From thoughts about the quest, to our encounters in the town of Ruto. Diane had asked me a question in Hiker's that I didn't have the answer to, and now that I remembered, I wanted to ask the prince himself. "You told me, back at Rauru, that there is a roadblock on that southern road, right?" I blurted from the quiet.

He didn't look at me, but continued to eat when he answered. "That's right, why?"

"Well, I never asked you before, but I've been wondering how did it get there."

Then he turned and met my eyes. "I never told you? I guess in the midst of our arguments, I never thought about it." He replied, but he wasn't expecting me to say anything, because he barely paused. "Soldiers were sent to the south of Rauru because of a group of moblins were hiding out over there. This particular group have been loads of trouble. They've been ransacking almost every town in this part of the kingdom, and my men have reported that they were coming closer to the castle and the settlements near it."

What were they doing? I wondered, and as if reading my very thoughts, the prince paused and looked at me. "They were probably looking for you."

A shiver was sent up my back just thinking of their lust, but I could only hope that my companion didn't notice. "But they were plundering as well?"

He shrugged. "You know moblins are easily distracted. In their search for you, I guess, since they were looking in the towns anyway, the thought of stealing and terrorizing took over." He then shook his head in continuing the story. "Anyway, they had to be stopped. Solders were sent to be rid of the beasts. They told me that when they got there, more moblins have joined together, thus proving to be more of a problem. There was a battle, and many of the monsters died, but this is what's astonishing, once the moblins saw that they were losing, the beasts retreated past the border of the tight cliffs and into the swamps. As my men went to pursue, there were moblins on top of the high formation who worked together to roll a boulder down, blocking the way between the solders and the monsters.

And that's how the boulder got there. No one was killed from the rock slide, thank the Goddesses, but some of the men were wounded when they came back home." He gave a slight break like to think about the circumstances before speaking again. "I never thought moblins could work together like that, let alone come up with such a smart plan. But what bothers me is that they got away. Who knows where that group is now?"

"You haven't heard of anymore attacks?" I asked, genuinely curious.

"No, not one!" He sighed, and took a bite from his bread. "Why would they stop?" He asked, but I shook my head. That question was forced to go unanswered.

He ate the last of his bread and stood up, brushing off his armor when he did. "Anyway, should we press forward?"

"Of course." I agreed and moved to stand as well.

We had sat right in front of the old mine, so just a few steps ahead allowed the eyes into the first part of the darkened tunnel. One could tell, without knowing, that the mine hasn't been used in a long time, because the many tools and forgotten materials strewn about were quite old and rusted.

I just knew. I could sense the danger from there. The old mines had something dwelling in it. The people of Ruto didn't know what they were allowing when the left the entrance wide open. But we had no choice. If we wanted to reach the swamp sooner, we had to face the dangers in there.

 **Author's Note: As always, thanks for reading! Let me know of any errors or what I did well. Just anything. Have a passing thought? Leave them in a review, I pay a lot of attention to what my readers think.**

 **Earlier, I had written of a small quandary. That I didn't want to give the prince a name because he isn't entirely an original character. Then it occurred to me; if he's to have a name, realistically, it would be Prince Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule the Fifth, or Prince Gustaf the Second, or something like that. You know, named after one of the kings from the games.**


	10. Separation Anxiety

**Chapter 10**

 **Separation Anxiety**

As soon as we stepped into the hungry opening, I brought out my candle. The magical fire on the wick stood in bravery to the magnified sound of the breeze that sailed with the trapped air. My companion eyed the candle that lit itself with a focusing expression before he broke the contact and looked ahead. It was like he just accepted the strange items I carried, and perhaps even knew I had more.

As we followed the cave's tunnels, shrieks of aches echoed all throughout the dark. I quickly realized that I probably woke them with the light from my candle, and they were not happy about that. They began to drop from the ceiling and swooped low to fight us off. "Already?" The prince asked, the sound of his bouncing voice was followed by a slight sing of his rapier. I wove the candle above me to distract them, and slashed at the ones that came too close. Shrieks overlapped on top of all the other sounds in the cave, and it was loud enough that I believed no matter where you were in the tunnels, you would be able to hear their cries of attack. But we soon learned that we had attracted more than just aches.

At first I thought them to be all the same, but as more approached the ground, one of the bats transformed into an acheman, the humanoid form of an ache. As soon as the creature was on the ground, all the other aches retreated back to the ceiling. "Leave humans!" It screeched. "This is our territory!"

"We're just passing through." The prince explained. "We didn't mean to invade! Please just let us go. We won't bother anyone."

But the monster didn't seem convinced. Without another response, it opened its mouth wide and shot a fireball free. The acheman then gave out an alarming scream and returned to the ceiling. The flame was closer towards me, and I tried to jump out of the way in time, but I reacted too late. The fire missile shoved me and lit my sleeve on fire! I briefly saw my companion rushing to help me put out the flames, but he wasn't able to. The aches were swooping down once more, forcing the prince to stay away. I rolled to the ground when I couldn't reach all of the fire, and luckily, the flames were completely depleted when I came back up to my feet. The candle remained in my left hand, and was still lit. Nothing would be able to snuff it, not when it was my will that kept it on fire. But now that the bigger fire on me was out, the creatures were free to attack me as well. Even the acheman was coming back down.

But that wasn't the only one.

By now, we were surrounded by perhaps a hundred aches and achemen. Fire and swooping bats were everywhere! I swung the candle at the horde, but now they didn't seem to care about the fire. It was quite easy to cast a few of them aflame, but they never slowed. Instead, I struck at any one monster as they came too close, but my main focus was trying to move forward as quickly as possible. "This way!" I yelled above shrieks to my companion.

"I'm trying. Just go! I'll be right behind you!" He yelled back, and I could barely hear him. The chaos was too much! We had no choice but to try and escape as soon as possible. It was hard to run as the bats and dark corners made it hard to see. They crashed into me repeatedly, and the shrieks and cries were quite deafening. They swarmed like a living cloud of shadow!

I continued to thrash the candle and sword and just ran down any hall that I came next to. When, suddenly, the group all at once vanished. I was so relieved! It was like a clean, free breath after almost drowning at the bottom of a river. The shrieks still cried just as loudly in my ears, and I couldn't tell if they were still calling when they retreated, or if this feeling was just a memory.

The prince tumbled forward, but was able to correct himself in time before he landed on the floor. "Where are they going?" He gasped. "How could they just give up right now?"

"No idea." I answered and was surprised when my voice came out as unsteady as his. "But I'm not standing around long enough to ponder why." I took a breath before turning to the passage in front of us, but it turned out to be a dead end. I sighed, I did not want to go back and risk another attack on us.

"Link," My companion pointed up at the top of the wall. I followed his gaze and noticed that it wasn't a dead end after all, but only a tall ledge. Wonderful! ...But how can we reach it? I thought. "Hoist me up on your back." The prince stated. "Then maybe I can grasp onto the edge."

So commanding! "No, it's too high." I simply replied, but then a thought crossed my mind. What if I could jump up there? "Hold on a minute." I brought out the newest scroll and scanned the words to the chant.

"What are you doing?" He asked, coming nearer. Not only was he still commanding things of me, but then he has to ruin my focus too. I held up my free hand, beckoning him to keep quiet. But if he noticed, he pretended not to. "You're not thinking to cast that, are you? You're a swordsman, not a wizard."

Why can't he remain quiet!? "Just wait and see." And finally, I seemed to convince him, or at least, I convinced him enough to back him away. Now I could study the words and gather the confidence to try and cast it in front of my judging companion. The words came out as an unintentional whisper like I was more concerned if he could hear me or not. But I knew he heard, and I couldn't let him decide that I can't cast a simple spell even if I tried.

I looked up at the ledge and spoke the words again, this time louder and free. Nothing appeared to have happened on the outside, but I knew that it worked. The magic made me feel lighter, like it was holding my weight up, and was only waiting for me to use it. The prince was patient now, he waited quietly and still, but still looked as if this was hopeless.

I was no prouder to prove him wrong!

I even felt like I didn't need to gather distance to clear this two-story jump. I embraced the spell's light feeling, and jumped straight up. I honestly didn't know what to expect, so the light feeling in my stomach came as a shock when I soared almost too close to the ceiling! I tried desperately not to scream as I flew up easily over the top of the high cliff and then began to fall just short of hitting my head! I positioned my stance in the air so I could land on my feet. But I couldn't keep it, and I gritted my teeth when I let a groan slip out from the urge to yell that still lingered. In the end, I had leaned too far forward to land nicely, and I met the ground on my belly and slid ahead a few inches on my face.

"Link!" His Highness yelled. My heart still pounded, and I remained where I was in the dirt, lying on my stomach, and trying to recover my wits. "Link, are you all right?!"

Once when I moved to stand up, I expected to find myself in a lot of pain. After all, I flew two stories to crash suddenly down, but the only evidence of my clumsy landing was dirt, I was covered in it. The elder in Ruto was right; the spell was hard to use as a novice, but I wondered why I couldn't feel the force of my landing? Did the spell protect me from it? I suppose it would make sense, after all, who would use a spell that will let you leap incredible distances if the landing would kill you everytime you used it?

Those thoughts made me realize just how foolish it was to cast a spell that I wasn't really sure about. If that fall wasn't protected, I would have been in a world of trouble right now! I brushed off the dirt from my tunic. The dust swirled into a small cloud as I did before it floated gently to the ground. My companion continued to call, and I turned to acknowledge him down the edge. "I'm fine," I answered. "Now it's your turn!" I moved to toss the spell down at him, but I shouldn't have been surprised when he wove his hands as he also shook his head.

"No way!" He declined. "I'm not even the slightest of a magic-user. I didn't think you were, but I see you have it in you."

What? "This is only my second spell, I thought just as you did, but everyone has to start somewhere."

"See? That's my problem; I'm not even interested in learning magic!" He called. I wanted to continue to argue his point, because now he was just slowing us down. But I knew he wouldn't change his mind. "Can you just lower some rope or something?"

The thoughts in my head seemed to slow down time. Here he was, the royal, annoying prince of Hyrule, stuck at the bottom of the cliff, and I was above it. I thought to yell at him that if I chose to do nothing about it, then he would be forced to stay, but I held my tongue. That statement was just too real! He waited quietly for me to do something, but I didn't know what I was doing.

I never wanted him on this quest... He only got in my way, and accused my actions and thoughts. Now may be my only chance to be rid of the endless pestering. I didn't know what to say. I looked behind me, fresh air tinged with a scent of clean rain brushed invitingly through the exit that led outside.

That led to the swamp.

"Link, we should be going." He spoke. "You know what? Just toss me the spell, I'll try to cast it."

"I don't need you to slow me down anymore." I responded, surprised that I spoke them aloud.

"What!?" He called. "What do you mean? You're not leaving me here!"

Again, I felt the command in his voice. "This is _my_ quest!" I yelled. "Go home, I will come back with the Triforce to wake Zelda."

Now he caught on to my intentions. "No, Link!" He begged back as I turned my back on him and headed for the exit. "Link! Don't leave me here!"

His voice chased me until I was out of earshot. But I didn't turn, and I didn't yell anything back. My conscious nagged at me and tried to slow my steps, but I kept walking until I stood outside. The rain had slowed to a small sprinkle, and the sun glimpsed through small windows in the moving clouds when it could.

I still felt bad for leaving Zelda's brother behind, but I told myself not to. After all, he proved himself worthless, and now I could find the rest of the temples on my own without his pestering. My quest has been slowed enough already, I wasn't going back.


	11. Never What It Seems

**Chapter 11 Never what it seems**

I tried to ease my conscious by focusing on the map instead of the cave mouth behind me where I left Zelda's brother stuck before a tall ledge. I wasn't standing in the swamp I needed to reach yet, but I could already tell that I was coming close. Water has saturated the very ground that I stood on, making this place its own wetland. I couldn't see the road from where I stood, but my map showed it was southeast less than an hour from here. I then, still holding my own map, brought out the one that Impa gave me.

The old map, of course, was of an early Hyrule Kingdom, and many places on it either didn't exist anymore or was expanded on. All of the palaces were on this map, however, and showed me the exact location of Midoro Palace. The temple's name hovered above a small icon deep in the eastern swamps, but in order to reach it, I would have to travel to the road and then follow the split turning north and around a swirl of mountains.

On the old map, it shows before the time the road was split, this path only went south to a lonely bridge that crossed a small river and to Death Mountain. But looking back on the more recent map, a town was now surrounding that same bridge with the name, "The Water Town of Saria" written above it. I rolled the map back up and began the trek across the wetlands. The daylight was still going strong and would for the time needed to reach my destination if I was quick enough.

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Besides the various attacks I encountered, my journey to the swamps was uneventful. From a distance, the swamp was stunning and amazing. It looked almost peaceful. A person could easily see the steam rising from the many channels of water. And after being trenched in it constantly, the few trees bowed with heavy clouds trapped in its branches and leaves.

But once I finally reached the place, I felt like it was the most humid location in the world, and I was completely miserable because of it. The hot and sticky vapors in the dank air clung to my skin and clothes, making me feel horribly uncomfortable.

It was impossible to tell how deep most of the pools were. The stagnant misty waters swirled almost magically, and countless frogs and insects rather enjoyed this environment. Thorns that were thick enough to draw blood sprouted free on the ground, and mushrooms and moss also thrived from such a moist place. I suddenly felt sympathy for the trees, that looked to be the only other beings, besides me, that would love to be anywhere else than here.

I groaned aloud as I stepped over some of the drenches, but still had to walk through some. Seeping black mud sucked in the air around my feet, making it hard to even take a step forward. My sweat mixed in with the vapor, and I knew I still had a long way to go. A part of me wished that His Highness was still here, so that he could suffer along with me. That thought made me wonder; where was he now? Would he really go back home? I told him to, and I hoped he did, but I didn't think he would. He struggled with trust, and if he didn't trust me with his sister's life, than he couldn't trust anyone. I felt like he should have believed me!

Just thinking about the issues he gave me, I was glad he was gone, but at the same time, I wished I had someone to take this anger out on! How could he accuse me of all the things he did? I didn't have a pride issue! _What? Don't tell me you want a prize. Heroes help people just for doing the right thing, am I wrong?_

"Agh!" I yelled aloud to my thoughts. "What would you know? It's not like you did the right thing!" But nothing responded save for a frog that was frightened from my sudden outburst. It splashed down into the nearest pool and disappeared in the muck. This quest was not about the prince of Hyrule! Nor...

...Nor was it about me.

I stopped in my tracks. This was about Zelda. It wasn't about finding the Triforce, and it wasn't about the monsters that hunted me to revive Ganon. Again, a shudder traced down my spine, and I looked down at the thorny vine that I was standing on. Without a conscious thought about it, I imagined the thorns squirming up towards me. Like they, themselves, wanted to spill my blood with their sharp knives. Everything was against me! That didn't frighten me, but through the thorn image, I saw the prince of darkness, Ganon.

No, he's dead! He can torment me no longer! But something about that, I couldn't run from. The thoughts quickly became unpleasant, so I shook them away. My eyes then fell on the silver pendent around my neck.

Zelda... Hang in there. I'm closer to the Triforce than I was before, and it'll only take me a few days to find all of the temples. I could almost see her lovely smile on the charm. My heart skipped a beat, and all anger was resolved.

I allowed myself a calm breath, and then continued my walk. Little did I know, long weeds in front of me obscured an octorok, sitting calm and harmless. But, unfortunately, I didn't notice it was there until it was too late. In my march, I had kicked the round land octopus hard in the face! "Huh?" I cried, "Oh, I'm sorry!" But despite my apology, the octorok frowned and took in a deep breath.

I didn't want to hurt this innocent creature, and most certainly not to kill it, but I knew what it was going to do next. There was no choice, I brought out my shield to stop the rock that it spit at me, and then struck the beast down with my sword.

The occurrence might bring attention from other octorocks, and I didn't want to be here if it did. I quickly clean my sword, sheathed my weapons, and picked up the pace. I wasn't afraid of more monsters, but I kept watch for any that might appear. I was so intent on watching, and my pace was at enough of a quick walk, that I wasn't even looking when I stepped in a deep puddle that I couldn't lift my foot up from! My pace suddenly broken without my attention, I couldn't stop from falling forward down in the water. Impossibly thick mud engulfed me, and debris that floated in the stagnent pool for who knows how long pricked me everywhere.

Luckily, that particular pool wasn't that deep, and I brought my head back up for air. The muck stank horribly, but as I was able to free my head, for every move, the mud grasped everywhere else it held. And for the first many minutes, I flailed, trying to stand back up. Octorocks crawled out from various hidden places, and the splashing of both water and mud caught even the attention of large flies known as boons. Great, I was trying to avoid an unnecessary battle when I took off in the first place, but then I had to draw their attention when I fell in the mud.

My struggle with the mud became desperate, but when it did, the puddle seemed to let me go quicker and easier. I came up covered all over with black mud, but reaching quickly for my sword and shield while stepping free of the water. All at once, the boons flew low and the octoroks shot rocks. I tried to keep up with the attacks by using my shield to protect myself from any stones, and slashing at any large flies that came too close. But I was not killing any of the monsters with this strategy!

The projectiles bounced harmlessly down against my shield, but now there were many of them lying around me, consricting my movement. And by now, the tricky beasts were coming up from behind me too. Solid stones sometimes soared past my shield and hit me in various places. And the boons were so quick that I couldn't react enough to strike them. I was too busy with blocking the octorocks, and so, they needed to go first.

I waited for the right time when an opening showed itself free of rocks for just a split second. Then, I crouched low to throw the boons off their target and pointed my sword to the octorocks in front of me. The creatures were shocked when missiles of light attacked them straight out of the blue, and most even chose to retreat. Those who didn't were even easier to shoot at now that there was more gaps in between stones.

The boons were more stubborn though. Once the octorocks were defeated, the flies never gave up! But at least I was free to attack them all I needed to. They kept to their strategy, but they were still impossible to slash at, I tried stopping them with my sword, and even with sword beams, but the best way to drop them was with my shield. I used it to stop them suddenly in their paths of air, but even now as I was making progress, more kept coming. They lived here, so I shouldn't have been surprised, especially that I knew how persistent they were!

I held my ground, even when they found a way around my defenses. Luckily, they were just hare-sized flies and not anything with a stinger. Their attacks, while quite annoying, was just trying to knock me down. I refused to give in, and I refused to run away. I fought with them for many minutes, and after what felt like a life time, and after killing so many, they stopped showing themselves.

I waited there longer, just waiting to see if more would show up, but none did. I outlasted them! I must have been too strong for them to continue bothering with. I cleaned my sword and sheathed it before continuing. I hoped that I was still going the right way. I knew the palace was really deep in the swamp, but even with the map, it was hard to tell where I was even going. It was like I was deprived of time and place here.

Miles all around me never changed how this bog looked, and I couldn't tell if I was damp from the humidity, or if it was my own perspiration. The battle took my mind of the misery for a while, but now it was all back. I couldn't wait to find the temple so I could be out of this mess!

I was so exhausted and sick of the reek, that I almost didn't even notice that I was passing by a weird shape wrapped in moss and vines. I stopped so I could stare at it long and hard until I saw it was an old pillar that fell a long time ago. And when I look past it, I saw more. They were all just as old, and every one of them have toppled differently; some were perfectly horizontal, and others were merely leaning. Was this the temple? I stayed and walked around the pillars, but besides the other small amout of debris, There was no way inside a building, if this was indeed a building in the first place.

How long have they been here? Must have been a long time since plants and age affected them like this. Even with close focus, I didn't notice the stone arch that was in, what would have been, the center of the towers. I brought my hand up to graze away the slime and pick at the plants that grew on the once smooth surface, and that was when I realized that it wasn't entirely smooth. Faded, and now indecipherable, sketches were engraved on the sides, and not just of the arch, but of the columns as well. Even as age destroyed whatever this was, I could tell that these structures were strong from proper care and decorated finely, like this place mattered to the people who built it.

I became more confused the more I lingered here, and I brought out my map like it would help me to find the palace even if I didn't know where I was. Staring at the old map now, apparently this land wasn't always a swamp. The map listed it as a much friendlier wetland, and these ruins might have been one of the sacred places to worship the Goddesses. Now that I knew where I was, the Midoro Palace was still a walk to the west, in the tightest cranny of mountains.

Seeing as how this used to be a friendlier place, I wondered how it will look in a few decades from now. But honestly, I couldn't see it any worst than this. Still pondering the thought, I continued to walk while still holding the map. In a location where deep, unhealthy pools were, this was unwise, but what I came across was not a pit of stagnat water.

No, I didn't fall in unexpectedly, but rather, I was surprised when I kicked something that clinked and rolled away. Concerned, I put the map away and looked down. A small, glass bottle still sparkled, even if it was now dirty from its roll. I bent over and held it before me. The slime easily slid off by my touch, and that was when I saw it wasn't empty.

A thin red liquid swirled inside the bottle, protected from the outside hazards. I pulled the cork to give myself a better look at the contents. Yes, just as I thought; this was a bottle of the red water of life, I was certain of it! This was a rare potion that could heal serious wounds. In all my life, I only met one person who could brew this, and that was in my last quest, so why was it here? Judging from how it refused to connect with the swamp as it was still clean, I didn't think it was here for very long. Who would bother coming here, and why? Were they trying to reach the palace too?

It would be a shame to leave such a useful aid here. I slipped it into my bag and continued on my way, not even giving the shrine one last look. It wouldn't be long now for me to find Midoro Palace now, at least, I hoped not.


	12. Midoro's Test

**Chapter 12**

 **Midoro's Test**

Finally, after a longer walk that beginning to test my ultimate patience, I was here at the Midoro Palace! I have had a rough journey through the swamp that I never wanted to come back to. The temple before me was more structured, but still resembled the pillars I saw earlier, old and engulfed by time and plants. The entrance was similar to the Parapa Palace, but made from the stone with engraved runes I saw.

But I didn't stare at it for long. I wasted no time in using the elevator, and I almost wished it to move faster than it did down to the floor below. The elevator landed with a light splash from the flooded floor and I stepped off. The first thing I noticed was how old the building truly was. What little remained of the carpet was torn and almost colorless. Plants were seeping through the many cracks in the walls like they were pulling the temple, like everything else, into a life and being of eternity in the swamp.

This first room was wide, but empty, save for the crooked door on every wall. There was a door on every wall, one to my left, to my right, and of course, the last before me. The last one seemed to be locked however.

I shook my head, slightly frustrated with my choices, and moved for the closer one on the left wall. The frame was held tightly in place by vines, so tight that I could barely move it without a struggle, but luckily, I didn't need to. The door was already held open enough that I could slide around it. It would be a tight fit, but I'll manage.

But just as I began to enter the door, I was forced back out by a blade that nearly stabbed me! The face of a stalfos revealed its yellow face that looked as old and withered as the rest of the palace. It brought its sword back down and edged over to my end of the door before bringing up a large shield. I, after recovering from the surprise, did the same, and waited for the next move.

When it moved to strike me, I not only blocked, but shoved my shield into the undead, knocking him unbalanced. Now that it flinched, I wasted no time to slash at the outstretched hand wielding the sword. My blade struck the joint on the elbow hard, and the arm snapped off and fell to the floor. The stalfos stepped in front of the dropped arm that still grasped the weapon, and took his shield up again. It couldn't attack very well without the sword, and I knew it waited for the perfect moment to pick it back up. I slashed at every opening I saw, but the monster was hard in focus on me, and blocked every one.

I thought now that he didn't have a weapon, he wouldn't even try to attack me, but I was once again surprised as he suddenly threw the shield! Now it was my turn to stumble back as the weight of the armor clashed against my own protection. When I recovered and looked back to him, he was trying to reattach his limb, but when he saw he was out of time, he threw the arm back down and wielded the sword with his only hand.

The stalfos threateningly swung the sword in the air as he slowly approached me, but this move was rather foolish because he was now pretty close to me, and I saw many openings. I used that to my advantage and suddenly struck out when he didn't expect it. There was a sound that might have been a laugh coming from my opponent… My blade barely even rattled the bones. It's so hard to fight with something that wasn't even living!

The monster tried to seep through my defenses, but I blocked and parried perfectly. It was becoming impatient, I could tell. The movements were now rushed, and it held a look of anger, if such a thing was possible on the looks of an old skull. I jumped back from a horizontal swing, and the monster took a step forward and the blade came crashing down. I easily blocked with my shield, and then, I saw my chance! My swinging sword came quickly across the unprotected neck, and the head came flying off!

The sack of bones sat unmoving on the floor, but just to be safe, I kicked the weapon to the edge of the room. Now that was done, I might be able to go back and investigate that room. I was careful when I went around the door, and I half expected another attack. But no one seemed to be here.

To the left was a barred passage to a built-in room, and I saw within the bars that there was a chest sitting in the small area on the floor. But it didn't take me long to see a switch on the wall close by the left side of the door, and when I pulled it, the bars lifted! But I knew that had to be too easy, and sure enough, it quickly replaced them in front of the door to the chest again.

After using the switch a few more times, trying to think about what to do, I saw that the wall to the opposite end from where I came in was broken and cracked. I thought maybe the wall was now weak, and I can force my way through, but as I tried to topple it by shoving my shoulder into the wall, I realized it was still rather strong.

Angry now with a throbbing shoulder, I took my sword and stabbed forward in the cracks, but I didn't have a steady enough grip, and almost dropped the magical blade to the floor. I soon became even more frustrated, and decided that there was nothing I could do here.

I left through the door I came in and stood. I hated scouring rooms when there was nothing I could do! It made me feel like I wasn't making progress! But I was glad that I was alone. His Majesty would have made fun of my abilities... Would have used "Hero" as an insult. I couldn't count how many times he did that! Any hero would have been stumped in that room... Right? Would a true hero find a way around that? Who was I kidding, of course not! I am a real hero.

But that last thought, for some reason, tasted unpleasant, like an old scar of something forgotten. _Just because you're a hero doesn't mean you're perfect._ Of course that made sense, but it still nagged at me. Why?

 _I didn't need your help!_ I yelled at him in the midst of a battle that felt so long ago.

 _What do you mean?_ He had replied, _I'm involved in this battle too. Was I supposed to stand by and watch?_ Why did he tease me? Was I really that crazy?

 _You know, you have a pride issue._ I do not! I cared about this quest. I cared for Zelda, I really did! She meant the world to me! I couldn't wait to wake her, just to see her smile again. Just thinking of that seemed to warm my soul.

But if I was more honest with myself, I would have admitted that since this quest started, I, disappointingly, only thought of coming home with the Triforce. But I didn't want to admit any faults of my own. It would seem that I wanted the attention and recognition from people. After all, I'm a hero, I should have a hero's welcome! I refused to think that Zelda's brother was right. I wouldn't admit it anyway, but I definitely didn't want to give that to him!

With my thoughts over the prince, I couldn't help but still feel a pang of guilt. He would have been here in the palace with me if I didn't leave him near Ruto. I could still hear his screaming. At first, I thought it would make me feel better to hear it after the turmoil he gave me, but it only made me feel worse. All well, no matter how I feel about it, he had what was coming to him.

Not feeling any better, but accepting that conclusion, I went to the door that was opposite me. This door was closed, but the vines on it was weaker than those holding the last frames. I pulled back and yanked it open. The vines snapped and fell worthlessly to the ground as the door now swung crooked, but easily wide.

Already I was overcome and exhausted from the sight I saw within it. Everything was so covered with the reigning plants that it looked like it was always that way, and there was such a high ceiling! The room was filled with tall stone walls that seemed to me to be even too tall for the jump spell. Humidity lingered up in the hanging plants like mist, and the floor was quite wet. I wondered why until I quickly saw the source. A cracked part of the floor that seemed to be leading in an aquatic tunnel was well spilling over on the stone, and the liquid from there just continued to run until the floor was soaked in it.

Beyond all those things, this small area wasn't much to look at, but I did begin to wonder how big this room was. From my angle, I couldn't see much of it, but the ceiling seemed to stretch pretty far. It may have looked way taller than the ledge I jumped over when I left His Highness, but I felt like my effort would have been worth the try. I casted "jump" for the second time and leaped at the wall! I held my arms stretched up as I jumped at an impossible height trying to reach the top of the wall, but just as I expected, I didn't even come close. After landing without a recoil, I turned to, once again, inspect the room.

I didn't see any way out from the stone wall. The few cracks within it were still rather strong, and too small for me to fit. And the plants and vines wouldn't hold me either, but I felt an uncanny threat from the water tunnel, and at first, I didn't consider it an option.

Six years ago, I was in a temple called Manji... And I was forced to use a water tunnel, of course, the water there was flowing rapidly and out as a small waterfall, but I nearly drowned! Ever since then, I have been afraid of drowning in a place like this; I never recovered completely from what happened. There was only one other thing that I feared more... Only one other chaos made me feel sick from dismay.

Was I a hero? A hero would face his fears if he had to, wouldn't he?

I edged closer and peered down the tunnel. Even from here, I felt like I couldn't breathe. The aqua path seemed to go down only a few feet before turning out of view. The water's calm, I told myself, and it didn't look as big as it did in Manji. If I needed to, I could probably come back here for air... There wasn't a current, it likely didn't end in a waterfall. I didn't know how long I stood there, but it was long enough for my body to secrete a cold sweat. I couldn't take it anymore! I backed away and turned around.

There had to be another way! I glanced desperately throughout the room, but I knew it was pointless. I couldn't go back to the room with the chest. There was nothing for me to do there. No, this was my only way forward. I had to find the guardian, I told myself, If I want to get the Triforce, if I wanted to wake Zelda, I needed to go down there, or I needed to call off the mission. I couldn't do that, people will see this hero as weak, as one who gave up because of just another obstacle.

I came back to the pool with memories of being tossed and thrown with enough force that I couldn't see, know, or swim back to air, even though my lungs burned for it. This is nonsense, I thought, Just do it and come back if you need air. You're a hero! Will you allow this to stop you?

"No turning back..." I sighed quietly and slipped into the water. Well, at least the water wasn't cold. I allowed myself only a moment to float, knowing that there wouldn't be a time when I was more ready. And when I did sink down and into the filled tunnels I took close note of where I was and where was I going. Down there, I only felt worse, and I couldn't even hear the sounds of the water beyond my pounding heart. As a matter of fact, I took such careful note and was disturbed enough that I didn't go much further. I stayed there until I came back to breath and calm myself.

But that was the end to my messing around. I dove back down and followed the tunnel as quick as I could. My inner thoughts and emotions screamed for me to turn back again, but I denied them. Still I paniced that I was unable to hear if the current might have changed without my knowing because of my own rushing blood and thumping chest. This water was cleaner than those stagnant and stinky pools, but it was still quite foggy. I didn't know if I was worried because I realized this, or simply because I was panicking about everything in that moment. It was probably the latter.

I didn't mean to stop in a sudden, soul-ripping terror when the path split in two, but, for a short second, I felt like I should turn back again. I felt like giving up completely and screaming my anger out in loud waves. But I knew turning around won't help me decide where to go from here. That would only delay me further. I chose to keep going straight.

I half expected that there would be more forks in the tunnels, but I was quite thankful when there weren't. In the end, I didn't swim for much longer when the perfectly smooth stone shot upwards to air! I came up and crawled out of the water. That wasn't actually too bad, I thought, I didn't even have to swim that long! I was not desperate for air yet. Still, I suffered from the anguish, and I remained seated by the water as to calm down. This room, disappointed as I was, looked the same and was the exact size as the last one. And while there was a treasure chest next to me, I didn't see anything that was much different.

I hoped it was important, whatever was in this box. Crawling up to my knees, I swung the top back, but I only saw rupees sitting on the cushioned bottom. That's it, I came this way for money, there was no other way forward. I sighed, now I had to go back down!

I took the money and left the box open as I turned back to the water. The grip of anxiety was still there, but wasn't as strong as it was before now that I knew what the tunnels were like. I slipped down and swam back to where the other path was.

It didn't take me long to reach the other tunnel, but this one turned further out than the other ones did. And the longer I was in the water, the more worried I became. Soon, I felt like the stone making the paths round was closing in on me, and choking any air I may have had access to. I was just about to turn back when it finally opened up to another floor.

I came up gasping for sweet air, and again crawled to the solid ground. I glanced up past the ceiling and cast a desperate prayer to the three goddesses. I didn't want to do this anymore. I didn't want to drown here! This time I was under the water longer, and even though I was about to turn around, I don't think I would have lived to swim all the way back to the last opening. I had to keep going forward.

I climbed up to my feet, soaked and pouring water, mostly from my hair and clothes, to the floor, so I could look around. This room was more of a rectangle than the last two, but still to my dismay, it was also empty. What was the point to this? Why was the temple abandoned? So far, I've only seen one stalfos...

Either way, this time there was no chest, but only another water tunnel here at the end. I was a little frightened again and I approached this one. This was a whole new path, separate from the other one. I couldn't shake the thought that this one was even longer. Like the last one though, there was no current, so the speed should be safe for me.

No matter how I felt, I went down the path and followed quite a few curves before I came safely up again, but then the predicable happened. Nothing here, only a stone wall blocking the rest of my view, and yet another pool at the end. But as I took only a few steps towards it, a flying mace came from nowhere and bounced just in front of me!

I turned to the source and realized that I missed seeing the mace thrower on top of the wall to the left of the room. It ambushed me by tossing down a dozen more maces. Luckily, it seemed like it wasn't aiming, but was more focused on making the field a mess. I easily blocked a few with my shield and walked back out of range. When I was safe, I unsheathed my sword and summoned a beam to knock it down, but it jumped to the side and avoided the attack. It continued to throw the maces, and I didn't stop with the summoned beams, but considering its horrible aim, it had no problem avoiding my attacks.

That scene of attack and dodge played back and forth until it was actually the monster that made the next move. I'd guess that it was tired of not scoring a hit just as I was, because it jumped from its incredibly high perch to a more vulnerable one.

A person would be unable to describe such a weird creature, if that's what you can even call it. The beast was short and fat with red skin that covered all of its body. But what made it strange was its face. It hardly had any features at all, but only the simplest; a clean slice on the face that acted as a mouth that could stretch to the ends of its sharp but yet small yellow eyes. Those eyes, it was impossible to tell where it was looking, and that was not only because they were barely a slit, but also that there were no pupils from what I could tell.

Its head was large, and stole attention from the rest of its smooth torso, stout legs, and more defined arms. Its head looked more like it was a part of the shoulders and, like the rest of its body, looked formless. I could recognize what was what, but it was still an odd shape. Any less formed, and it wouldn't even seem humanoid. It even had sharp, thin horns that came out right above the eyes, still on the flat of the face, and a small tail that it hid behind its large hunk of flesh for a body.

The sinister smile spread across the wide demon-like face, and it began to jump around and throw the weapons once more. I felt like I needed to get closer to attack better, but that would be difficult with the barricade of flying weapons. How many did it have, exactly? The spiked balls on chains kept coming, and were littering the floor quite profoundly. I didn't want to wait and find out, so I summoned a few more sword beams, and when the mace thrower tried to dodge them, I was able to safely pass the barricade and slash at the strange beast.

The monster desperately tried to back off away from me, but then tripped on one of its own weapons! It stumbled, but couldn't remain upright as it then fell backwards and knocked its head against the wall.

Was it unconscious? I waited for a few more seconds to pass and watched for any movement, but the mace thrower never even twitched. The wound that I had given it looked fatal as well. As I stood there, I quickly noticed that the monster fell next to engraved words in the wall.

"Decisions should be left open for those who wish to take it."

I wasn't sure what this meant, and it sounded unfitting to be placed here. I didn't think much of this message and didn't give it much of a second thought. But instead approached the mace thrower to finish off the job. It was probably dead anyway, but it's best to take no chances. I glanced down at the next pool.

I couldn't wait to be done with this temple.


	13. Dreadful News with a Guilty Conscience

**Chapter 13**

 **Dreadful News with a Guilty Conscious**

The tunnels leading to different parts of the room were long and unending. Not much happened after that encounter with the mace thrower, but as I just continued to bite down on my fears and swim through another path, and another path, I thought I was recognizing some of the rooms I've been to before.

Could that be possible? Was I going in circles, or just going crazy? Who could tell? These rooms all looked the same. But shortly after that, I saw the empty chest, and then passed by the same message in the wall with the same mace thrower against it.

Somehow, I was backtracking…

I must have spent hours looking for an exit, even if it was the door I came through, but I just came across the same places of the room. I followed the roads I didn't think I've taken before, but I then found out I've taken them several times. I was beginning to lose hope of ever getting out of there!

I'm still not sure what I did different, but I found myself standing in front of a door I have never seen. For some reason, there were no vines keeping it in place, so I swung it open, and my heart sank.

It looked like the exact same room I have been in for hours now… A tall stone wall blocked my view of the rest of the room, and the ceiling was so tall, I could barely see the top. A deep pool of water buried itself in the floor, and waited for me to dive in the long and warping tunnels. Well, I couldn't just stand there and expect to move forward. I jumped into the water and followed the passage. It split and I took to the right, where it led to another portion of the room.

With an empty treasure chest next to the pool.

Now this was all too familiar, but there was nothing I could do! Is this the very same chamber I was in before?! I sighed, but jumped back into the water and swam to the left. I then swam through one more passage and what I saw confirmed my fears. The mace thrower was still lying unmoving by the wall, and a familiar message was carved into the opposite wall. "Decisions should be left open for those who wish to take it." What does that mean!? I was starting to become quite worried by this point. I can't leave this room, but I was unable to move forward as well. What was I supposed to do? Was this the end?

I took some more passages until I came by the door. I reached for the handle, and pushed it open just to reveal the same chamber once more! How do I get out of this? I hesitated to enter and instead took a seat on the floor. I felt trapped, and I didn't even know where the guardian was. Water collected around me from my wet tunic, and I realized for the first time how quiet the chamber was.

I had to find a way out! But was there a way? Maybe the message I kept seeing was important. I read again and again in my head. What "decisions" was it talking about? Was I supposed to leave something open, or has it a different meaning? But the more I focused on the matter, the less sense I made from it. I was tired from my trip in the swamp, too tired to focus much at all. I felt like I've never spent so much time in a dungeon.

When I sat down, I was exhausted enough to fall over and sleep right there on the floor.

* * *

My eyesight was almost parallel with the floor, making the stone look close. And I could also see the overwhelming tall ceiling with its vines like green veins trailing in random patterns up there. At first, the sight of the temple scared me until I remembered why I was here. I must have slept deeply, because my head was still tired, but my thinking felt new and fresh.

I sat up and remembered the puzzle I was trying to solve. "Decisions should be left open for those who wish to take it." Perhaps I looked at too much. "For those who wish to take it" I stared at the door that led in the repeating chamber. Could that mean a way out? If it was, perhaps the rest of the message will make more sense. "Decisions should be left open". If the way out was open? If it was open, I won't be trapped running around in circles! I sighed, but what if "Decisions" was a literal door?

What if it was right in front of me all along? With a clear head, but a half-asleep mind, I accepted the frivolous idea, stood up and opened the door. The same chamber I have been all over waited for me to step through. I turned around and without much thought about such a crazy idea, I stepped backwards through the entrance, and as I stood in the beginning again, I saw it. Within the door, the chamber image began to change like magic. It changed to a new room I have never seen before. Who would have thought that I just had to go back to the beginning?

There was nothing much in this room, as it was only big enough to have a treasure chest sit in the center and was just wide enough to pass it so I could then go to the door behind it.

I was excited to be done with the chamber that trapped me. I didn't hesitate to rush into the door and open the box. What I saw in it was quite a surprise for me. It wasn't a key, a weapon, or even rupees. What sat was a pair of heavy metal gloves. They didn't look like they've been there very long, but obviously, they must have. The metal was not rusted and was a dark gray. I brought them from the box to take a closer look. They looked really strong, I thought as I fitted them over my hands, and removed my sword from its sheath. The metal texture held onto my blade tightly, and I brought the weapon before me in smooth and solid sweeps. But I didn't know what other purpose it had. I just hoped it would help me to find the guardian.

The door behind the chest led to the beginning of the temple, and I saw the elevator was still waiting for me on the wet, and green, floor. I turned behind me, I had emerged from the same door I went in. What magic! I swung it back open out of curiosity, and the repeating room with the aqua tunnels was in view once more, just like the first time I went in. I closed it shut again and turned to the final door that I haven't been in, but it was still locked. And I still didn't have a key. What must I do? I then remembered that there was one other room that I was in, but couldn't figure out what to do. I didn't really want to return to that one, but maybe I didn't have a choice.

After sliding past the still sturdy door. I saw the treasure chest still sitting in the cracked built-in room. How could I reach it? The switch didn't help me at all, and I didn't have anything that could keep it down. I felt like screaming aloud. If I only brought my bombs! I should have never left them at home. The wall looked weak enough, one bomb would have broke it open.

So now, I guess I was stuck again! I just stared at the cracked wall, wishing I could do something about it. It was then when I realized that I still held my sword free from its sheath. My grip was more powerful, and my anger was already beginning to rise. Instead of putting the sword away, I, like the last time I was here, struck and stabbed the cracked wall.

When the new gloves prevented the sword from slipping, I took my hits with more purpose. I held onto the sword with both hands and moved the tip to a small crumble. As I jabbed the blade forward, it didn't slip and I struck the wall hard! It began to fall somewhat, and I continued to attack the weak spot. Finally, the rest just fell all at once! The air was filled for a moment with the dust cloud that was released.

The treasure chest was now reachable! I shook away the dust from the air I breathed, and walked over the crumbled wall to open the chest. This time, just as I hoped, there was a silver key sitting lonely within the chest that kept it there for many years. I took it and eagerly ran out of the room, back to the beginning.

Without another look around, I ran instantly to the locked door, and pressed the key into the lock. I heard a click, and the door creaked loudly as it swung open. Plants and mud engulfed this sloping passage. It looked quite steep, and it may be slippery too, so I had to be careful. I stepped slowly onto what was once stone, but by the second step, I had already slipped!

I fell on my back, and the mud willed me down the rest of the way quickly! My scream echoed through the plant filled slide, and I rolled over bumps and hills in the way. I tried to stop myself by grabbing onto the green vines, but I only brought them along with me. Suddenly, I was on flat ground again as I tumbled out from the passage and fell to a stone floor. I was covered in the mud and vines, and I tried, in a poor attempt, to brush it off.

This room was different from what I've seen, but it resembled the chamber with Horsehead, and I knew then that this must be the guardian's room, because I saw the statue of the man with the hollow in his forehead.

Not a moment later, I heard clunking footsteps. I used the shield spell and waited for the second guardian to show its face. The creature that approached me was Helmethead. He looked like an ordinary ironknuckle, but this guardian was also quite tall, and I knew this fight would hold different tactics. I took another minute to cast the jump spell as well. "I've been waiting for over a thousand years for this fight." He said in a low voice. He held a sword and shield, and was covered in heavy armor that was well taken care of.

I didn't reply. Instead, I inspected the armor from where I stood. It looked really tough, but the helmet looked… Loose? I decided that the head would probably be the best to strike. I took my position and steadied myself as Helmethead came closer. And when he was close enough, I jumped into the air! The spell allowed me to easily reach the helmet, and as I flew to the armor, I took hold to the shoulder and already had my chance to strike the head with my sword.

I then jump back down and stumbled as I landed, almost falling to the floor from still not mastering the spell I had, but I was learning how to control it better than I did. The loose helmet knocked harshly at the monster's face. He fought back by vigorously swinging his weapon, but a small opponent would be hard to hit. Now that he was aware of my strategy though, depending on how smart he was, it would be harder to follow up on it. When I saw the slightest opening, I jumped again to reach the shoulders. But I was too far away.

It was then that I realized how dangerous that move was! I fell straight down while the monster stood mostly in one place while he tried to find me with his sword. Luckily, I somehow missed the swinging sword and landed safely on the ground. Looks like if I plan to jump, I need to make sure that I'll make it.

Once he lost me again, I ran behind him, and jumped up again! I landed on his shoulder, and before he could react, I attacked the helmet once more. He then quickly turned and the force shoved me from my position. I tried to right myself, but didn't have the time! I landed on the old stone, but I wasn't as harmed as I would have been, thanks to the shield spell.

Still lying down, Helmethead looked even taller than before, like I was in danger of being stomped upon. I had to look far up to even see his face! "Aaugh! I've had enough of you, pipsqueak! …Where are you now?" He called, his voice rumbling through the chamber. I stood and ran to his left, before leaping up again, but as I flew back up towards him, he saw me.

He didn't have enough time to strike with his weapon, so he tried to shove me with the fine armor on his shoulder. I also saw what was coming and reached out to hold onto the arm. But the steel smashed my face, and the impact left me hanging on with only one hand. I was able to pull myself up even though my vision was hazy and I felt like dropping down from the pain. I climbed up on the shoulder where it was my turn to attack! I completely knocked the helmet right off this time, and it fell all the way down to the floor, but underneath the head armor was... another helmet!?

I stared breathlessly at the sight with my jaw to the ground, and Helmethead took advantage on my hesitation and brushed me off like unwanted dust. I knew the jump spell would absorb the shock, but I still had trouble with the landing. The fallen helmet sat quite still on the cold floor. I stood up, and turned my focus back to Helmethead, but I was once again distracted by the helmet on the floor…

It was moving…

It slowly lifted up in the air and righted itself. I brought my sword and shield up as it floated towards me. Then, I was confused and jumped from shock when it suddenly released a burst of flame on me! Luckily, my shield fought against the blazing red and orange. This fight just became more difficult with the attacking helmet. I was reminded of the dragons called gleeok I fought many years ago. After decapitating one of the multiple heads, it would float around and attack me. I had to fight the real monster while, at the same time, avoiding the ghost heads.

When the fire became exhausted, I ran rather than fought it, thinking it to do me no good. But now Helmethead knew where I was because of the flames. He tried to stomp on me as I ran around him. The floor cracked and rumbled loudly with every pound, and I knew I was being followed by the fire-breathing helmet. Without stopping, I jumped when I was close enough to the side of the monster. I brought my sword up and attacked the second helmet before I even landed! The armor knocked vigorously like the last one, and I dropped back to the floor.

As I hit the floor, I had to roll quickly to the side, and the fire-breathing helmet just narrowly missed me. The blazing flame roared dangerously close! When I came back up, I realized I was near Helmethead. His foot lifted in the air and attempted to pound me into the floor once more. I ran just in time when the room shook from the heavy impact, and deep rumbling and the whoosh and crackle of the fire filled the chamber. There was danger in every corner. I had to focus on finishing this battle!

I jumped when I was close enough again and as I attacked the helmet, this one too, fell off. I watched it fall for a moment and sighed when it began to float in the air. I looked back to the monster, expecting to see yet another helmet, but this time, the face was unprotected. He looked almost human, but he had a stern look that resembled more of a creature. He had dark gray skin and eyes that looked like slits. I jumped back to the floor as Helmethead started to thrash angrily, but then I had to deal with two fire-breathing helmets! They tried to form a strategy on cornering me between them, but I didn't stop running.

Whenever I tried to ready another jump, one of the flying armor would hover in my way. I waited for the second one to approach me, and as I turned, the one in my way was preparing a burst of flame. I darted to the side and jumped onto the monster's shoulder again. I was surprised that they pursued me up here and could do nothing but duck low when they prepared their attack. At the same time, two lines of fire rushed forward, forming a greater burst!

Right into the monster's unprotected face!

He started to yell and tried to put the devouring fire out, but I took the moment to attack him back. The two helmets dropped to the floor first, and then the monster himself began to sway. I dropped back down and he fell with an overwhelming thud!

Well, I thought, that wasn't too bad. The second guardian has been defeated, and that means there are only five more to fight before I can come home with the Triforce. Feeling proud, I failed yet again to dust of my hands and tunic. I was covered enough of the mud, vines, and other unpleasantries that it was like I was being swallowed by the essence of the swamp. But in the moment, I didn't care.

I didn't give Helmethead another glance as I left him to reach the statue by the set of stairs. I removed a single sparkling and clear gem, and reached up to insert it into the perfect hollow. The crystal sat quietly for a moment, but then began to shine. The white light filling the dark and cold chamber with welcoming warmth, and I walked up the stairs, leaving the gem and statue behind.

Both of my spells wore off by the time I reached the top of the stairs, and like before, the world began to shake and pull the old temple further in the ground. Vines snapped under the pressure of holding it together, and the now released walls fell in on each other. When the palace could no longer be entered, the shaking stopped, and was replaced by the normal calls of insects. I stood there for a moment looking at the pile of ruins, and thought of its destruction as a shame… It has been here for so long, and became the home of many creatures… I thought of the old building, too, as a reminder, a connection, of the long forgotten past, of the people who built it and their wishes for the future. It has served its purpose, though, from what the old scroll said, it was a long ago king that built these as a challenge for myself.

It was then when I felt the sticky heat again, and it hit me that I was in the swamp and had to travel more hours until I can reach the road again. The dank view of the sky was seeping from morning into day. Was I really in Midoro palace that long? It was just becoming dark when I went in, but I did fall asleep. Suppose it didn't matter, the only importance is that I keep going. The sooner I leave the swamp, the better.

* * *

Of course, this was the biggest swamp in all of the kingdom, and knowing how horrible it was, this was one of the few places in Hyrule that I never bothered to explore. And here I was, dragging my feet in the muck, just wishing to soon reach the end back to the plains.

The journey through the miserable wetlands was uneventful beyond the usual attacks, but after I walked for what seemed like forever, something happened that sent me in waves of shock and guilt.

"Link!"

I heard the call and turned to find the source, but was surprised when that source was a moblin. All the way out here? They were that desperate to kill me? I slid my sword free, but this moblin wasn't here to attack me. It was odd, but I recognized this one. This was Tog, a moblin I befriended years ago back in a cave. He helped me to find the temples with a map back then. "What are you doing here?" That was the only response I could find in my confusion.

He stopped and didn't even give the sword a glance. Instead, he was bowed down, breathing hard and trying to recover his voice enough to speak. He then suddenly stood and exclaimed. "Link, you must do something! His Highness, the prince, has been kidnapped!"


	14. Rescuing Hyrule's Heir

**Chapter 14**

 **Rescuing Hyrule's Heir**

 **"** What!?" I cried in response. "What do you mean? What happened to the prince?"

"You have been watched ever since you two left Rauru." Tog explained. "A group of my kin found the prince alone when they were really looking for you, so they surrounded him, and are currently trying to release information from him." He may not be a senseless moblin, but he was able to watch the rest of his kin closely without much suspicion.

A thousand questions swirled in my mind, but the emotion of grief and guilt overtook me the most. I left him behind! Would he be captured right now if we went into the swamp together? "How did this happen?" I wondered aloud. "He is an excellent fighter, he would have been able to fend them off."

"I don't know, I just know they have him, and they mustn't! This is bad!"

"You're right, do you know where he's being held?"

He nodded. "They found him just south of here, in the woods. Come on!" He then swung his arm, beckoning me to join him, and we traveled south.

At first, we didn't talk much. No, I was too busy feeling regretful for what I have done. If he was in the woods to the south, then obviously, he found a way past the ledge and was making his way to the swamp to catch up with me. He didn't go home, but who was I kidding? Of course he wouldn't! He didn't trust me.

He must have been determined to go on towards the swamp. He knew where the swamps were, but I think he had to have known that it would be impossible to find the palace without the map. Even I had to make use of the map just to avoid getting myself lost.

But as my mind kept busy feeling sorry for someone who I never thought I would feel sorry for, another question came to me that I had to speak aloud. "How did you find me here?"

"You should know the answer to that by now." The moblin replied without looking back. "Everyone of Ganon's band has been stalking, and watching you. And even though I would like to think myself as your ally, I'm not a stranger to their news on where they last said you were spotted. When they started to argue on if they should enter this dreaded place or to wait for you to come out, I came in looking for you." His scoff sounded more like a snort. "I swear I've been all over the place! I even think I lost my red water of life before I got turned around over here. All well."

"That was your red water of life?" I asked, now feeling relieved that it was of a friend's and not an enemy's.

Then, the moblin did look back at me. "Oh, you found it then? Excellent!" I was already reaching to retrieve it, but he noticed and spoke before I even had it out. "Don't bother, I want you to keep it. You'll need it more than I do."

"Thanks."

* * *

When the swamp thinned, I almost knocked over the moblin when he suddenly stopped. Somehow, he remained on his feet even though he was way shorter than I was. "Sorry," He quickly apologized before he went back to his thinking for a moment. "We can't afford to be attacked right now..." He wondered, but then spoke up. "Remember when I told you how Ganon's minions are waiting for you to come out of the swamp? Well, we can't have that, not when we're trying to find His Highness without drawing too much attention. I think we have to stick to the walls, if we take a bit to the southeast, then we can reach the mountains and then make our way to the south part of the woods."

"But what if they're watching there too?" I asked.

But he shook his head. "These guys aren't that smart. Your friend told the moblins that you went to the swamp, but, of course, he doesn't know where the palace is. Count that as a good thing. And as I said earlier, they don't want to go into the marsh, so they're waiting, but only at the road. They don't know that there is a traitor among their kind." He smiled a toothy grin and pointed at his chest with his fat, blue tinted thumb before continuing more to the east than to the road.

Once he mentioned Ganon's minions, yet another question burned in my thoughts. One that I felt didn't mean much to ask, but I found myself keep coming back to. "Can I ask a question?"

"Might as well. You're going to ask anyway." He chuckled.

But I choked, and I didn't know how to ask through a wave of worry that always came with this thought. "Are the rumors true? Can Ganon come back using my blood?"

He sighed, and spoke softly. "Well, it's hard to say. Such a spell does exist, but only the most powerful wizards can cast it. Story goes, resurrection needs a powerful wizard who specializes in dark magic to capture the victim's enemy, if there is one, if not, the magic-user must endure some other test depending on how they died. You are Ganon's killer."

That last part made me feel sick, and Tog mumbled somewhat and then continued. "And, maybe, some of the wizzrobes can master this type of magic. But what's the point of this conversation anyway?" He brightened his tone. "This is the hero, Link! You'll kill them all before they even have a chance to chant Ganon's name! Isn't that right?"

"Uh, yeah." I answered, trying to feel the truth in his compliment, but this news only made me feel worse. I was hoping that the talk from all the monsters would just be a false hope for them, but now, it might be right. Ganon had a lot of wizzrobes on his side... Maybe this wasn't even a rumor or a hope, but a plan.

* * *

"Here we are." Tog whispered as we neared the entrence to the southern woods. He looked at me and placed his finger before his lips. I nodded, and walked as quietly as I could.

As we walked, the air around us was still enough that I could already hear the voices. "We've been watching the road for hours!" One gruff moblin remarked. "He's not coming!"

"You're making a huge mistake." An all too familier voice piped up. "If you take up battle with him, then you're surely to lose your life." I was surprised when the royal prince of Hyrule wasn't shaken in his speech.

Now we rounded a tree where we could finally see where the prince was held. There must have been a little less than a dozen moblins from what I could see. Most were standing around in a circle facing two moblins that must have come down from their watch of the road. And there, I saw him! His Majesty was sitting at the base of a tree with gnarled robe tied around him.

The moblins have all turned to look at him like they wished he would have kept his mouth shut. One was even annoyed to the point that he came towards their hostage grumbling and stuck a dinner knife towards him. "I am really tired of your pestering. Give me one good reason why you're still breathing."

But the voice that spoke against that was not the hostage's. "No, not yet!" Another moblin called and joined his upset ally. "Endure it a while longer, brother. We can make him pay once we have Link, but until then, we need him."

His friend responded only with a deep growl. But Zelda's stubborn brother didn't take the hint. "It's true though, think about it. Link hasn't been taken down by anything so far. Moblins, stalfos, gleeok, even the mighty Ganon died! Which matters to you the most? Chasing after a hero in dying hopes of resurrecting your long dead master, or the life you'll lose if you continue? Choose one."

The angry moblin thrusted the knife a bit closer to the prince's face. "You keep your mouth shut, or I might be forced to disappoint my kin here." The other beasts then went back to their scolding and bickering.

There was only one thought in my head at that point. That was the first time I heard him say "hero" without sarcasm.

"So what's the plan?" The grunted voice whispered behind me.

"I don't know." I answered. "Give me a moment to think..." There were so many moblins! There was no way I could fight them all by myself, but if I could have some help from the other two, we might be able to. They were just moblins. Even better, if we can split them up, it should be even easier to take them out. "I need a distraction." I looked over at Tog, and whispered what I had so far. It would be risky, but it was the best I had.

"Are you crazy?!" He blurted, and I hurriedly shushed him. Luckily, I don't think anyone even noticed. He glanced from the monsters and back to me. "You can't take all of them! I don't even expect that from you." He went back to whispering.

"Not for very long, some will stay back here." I countered. "And that's why I need you. Free His Highness, and then come help me with the other moblins. With the three of us, I'm certain we can take them."

"That's still pushing it, even for you."

"Are you going to help me or not?"

A still moment of silence passed between us, and I could almost see his scattering of thoughts. "Fine." He sighed.

"All right, give me a second to reach my position on the road, and then send them over."

He nodded with a frown on his face and went back to watching the argument. I tried to creep quietly out of our hiding place and head for the road a little while away. As soon as I reached the dirt path still in the woods, I stood and waited.

I wasn't standing there for much longer than that when I drew my sword and shield when I heard the slight ruffling. They were thinking to ambush me, but they didn't know of my knowledge. I quickly casted "shield" and waited for them to edge a little closer.

I've done this a thousand times. I was a swordsman, and a good one at that, I knew I was, but for some reason, my confidence was beginning to lack. You'll be fine, you just have to hold the horde until the others can come. But there were a lot of moblins. The thought of getting capture hasn't scared me in years, but the thought now seemed to bother me. First, they'll take me hostage, then they'll call the wizzrobes, and before you know it, Ganon will come back from the dead.

What will the people do? Ganon and I would switch places, he will be alive, but my life would be spent. Will there be another person who could vanquish him? Someone who cares about Zelda as much as I do? Less likely. Especially about Zelda! She won't be loved as much as I love her. I... I love her. And it never crossed my mind, but if I somehow die out here, I will never see her again to tell her that.

The next accidental shift of brushed up leaves stole my attention back to the world around me. This was the time. I can't be lost right now! I moved with barely a breath at first... But then I jumped and struck the closest moblin before they could react! The beast couldn't protect himself in time, except to back away in time to save his neck from taking the slice that was now on his arm.

Then, all the enemies at once jumped from their positions and brought their spears before them. The one that I attacked flinched in pain, but I couldn't take advantage. No, I knew the wiser move was to spin back onto the road to not only fight on more solid, even ground, but to break them from surrounding me. Attacks came in rapidly! And instead of looking to score a few hits, I only parried and blocked what I could.

There were enough moblins that the ones attacking me were blocking some more in the back. These moblins were quickly moving out to the side and surrounding me yet again. I was about to keep backing up and trying to stop them from doing this, but then I let them make a complete circle around me and surprised them with a spin-attack. Many of them were able to block the swinging strike from dealing any damage, but whether if they did or didn't, the attack spread them out away from me.

When I was free for just an arm length of breath, I saw that some of them were injured from the sword. This breathing space didn't last long however, soon they closed in on me again like forced currents, but this time was a little different. These enemies were not only smart, but had wonderful teamwork. Moblins were not known for this, so I was quite amazed with seeing it. They chose not to completely surround me this time, knowing now of my skill with the spin-attack.

But now they seemed to attack in a rhythm. A spear thrusted forward, retracted, and was replaced by another. Come on, you two! I can't hold them off forever! I shoved my shield to the side, blocking another swing, and then stabbed at the moblin in front of me.

The beast couldn't react in time, my sword plunged in its chest, and he fell to the ground. But he was replaced by two more. The small hits and nicks were already building up on me. I stung everywhere, and spots of blood were seeping through my still dirty tunic that reeked of the bog. What's more, the mud and mingled swamp bothered my wounds even more.

My sword was able to fall one more enemy before the moblins around me were becoming distracted. They took up battle with the two newcomers. Finally, my companions have made it! The enemies seemed to split their attentions, a few stayed with me while the others fought with the other two. "Just in time!" I yelled. "I knew you two would show up eventually!"

"Sorry, Link." Tog shouted back, wielding a small dagger. "We were occupied with the few that stayed behind."

Feeling suddenly stronger, we fought against the small horde. The monsters were still quite powerful, but their power came from their large group, and minutes into the fight, we were winning! A spear was pushed towards me, but I braced my arms against the shield and shoved back. I wasn't noticing that the beast next to me was slipping away. As a matter of fact, many of the monsters took the moment to edge their way free of the battle and make a run in all different directions. Then, once they were free, the ones fighting took their chance!

"Link!" His Majesty yelled. "Stop them! That is the same group of monsters that dropped the roadblock!" Then the prince bolted off and ran after one of the directions in pursuit. I heeded his advice and ran after them myself.

The moblins that I was chasing was a broken group of only three. I ran after them as fast and my legs could physically go, and I was even starting to gain up on them! But then, as we neared some close trees on either side of us, the moblins all at once ran past either tree and I lost sight of them.

The rustling caught my attention yet again, but I hesitated. The three of them were now split up again so they were all running in different directions. By the second I was able to react, they were long gone. Wow, I thought, who knew moblins could have so much power? I sighed, and, deciding that the rest of the chase was pointless, walked back to the road.

Tog was already there and His Highness was just joining him. "Any luck?" Tog asked, rubbing his head like it hurt.

"No," I answered. "I lost them..."

"Yeah," the moblin returned. "I actually caught up to the one that I was chasing, but I wasn't expecting him to swing back and hit me over the head with the wood of his spear."

The prince kicked at the dirt in a fit of anger, sending a cloud of dust upward. "Curse it all!" He yelled. "They were right there! How can they keep eluding me!?"

"Calm down," Tog said. "We should just be thankful that none of us are seriously injured."

"And I am still confused on why you helped me." The prince pointed.

The moblin opened his mouth to speak, but I interrupted. "This is Tog, he's a friend of mine." I explained. "He is the one who told me that you were captured, and he wanted to help."

His Majesty's eyes looked at me, but he refused to make contact. He seemed upset, but in a different way than what he showed towards the smart group of enemies. "I don't need your help."

Guilt started its butchering yet again, and I knew what he was thinking about. This is usually a time when I would fire another insult back at him, where I wanted to hurt him for hurting me. But I didn't want to this time, no, I was greatly bothered and felt like I was deserving of his response. "Listen, I..."

"Well, I have to say that was a lot of fun." Tog interrupted like he chose to not get involved in something that didn't concern him. "And I'm so glad that His Highness is now safe, but this seems rather personal and I think I should be on my way."

I turned my attention to him. "That's a shame." I honestly remarked. "But I know you really went out of your way for us, and I don't want to ask you for anything more. So, thank you, very much."

"Don't worry about that." He returned. "I'll see you around some time." With that said, he turned around and took to the road. We wished him our goodbyes, and when we were alone again, a distilled silence took place.

The prince bit his lip and bile rose back in my throat. I didn't want to continue on what I was going to say. I didn't want to apologize to him with words, but he deserved it, and I wanted him to know. "What happened back there was very wrong. I left you on your own, and because of it, it was my fault you were captured. I can't even tell you how..." I swallowed, feeling every word in my gut. "How sorry I am."

What made me feel worse though, was that he kept quiet, like he was still trying to process the apology. "I know I don't deserve your forgiveness." I found myself continuing, and hoping for a clear response. "But I regret doing that now, and...I can't believe I'm saying this. I would like for you to join me again."

"You would?" He asked, and there was no accusation in his tone. I nodded. "All right." He spoke calmly. "But now, there is something I want off my chest. Some of the things you said left me thinking, and I'd realized, you're right. I never trusted you, as a matter of fact, I haven't trusted anyone. Not since Father died. I mean, I didn't even trust my own sister! And if there's anyone I should trust with my sister's life, it's you."

The sound of day-light insects surrounded us and became louder than our voices. "Well, I suppose we're even now." I concluded. "Shall we continue on our way before night comes?"

A genuine smile showed. "Sure." He then fell into place beside me, and we followed the eastern road. The atmosphere around us seemed calmer and more pleasant now that the stress of unspoken anger has drained. The wind flickered over the natural canopy of leaves, making them clash like windchimes, and sending in tiny rays of sun and still blue sky.

"Might I ask," The prince spoke regally. "Where are we going now?"

"I just came from Midoro Palace, so..." Without slowing, I brought out the map to see where the next temple was, but the closest would be the hardest to reach yet.

"What?" His Majesty asked me, and it was then that I realized that I had stopped walking.

"The closest one to us is the Island Palace." I explained. "And it's on the island south of the Harbor Town of Mido."

"What? But that island is-"

"I know." I interrupted. "No one ever reached it safely."

"Who would have thought that there was an ancient temple there?" He pondered, leaning slightly to look at the map in my hands.

"I don't know, but we have to find a way to reach it somehow."

 **Author's Note: Thanks for reading! And don't forget to review, it really helps me out. And most of all, thanks for reading such long chapters. Not all of them will be this long, I promise. But let me know if this, or something else, bothers you. I welcome critics.**


	15. Eyes of Ganon

**Chapter 15**

 **Eyes of Ganon**

Another day has passed, and we have left the woods long ago. Soon, we will be reaching the pass through the hills and then there would be only a few short hours to the Harbor Town of Mido. We couldn't come up with a strong plan, but instead could only hope to find a way once we were in the city.

After cleaning the remains of the stinky mire from my body and clothes, the air around me felt so open and fresh. I have never been happier to walk on the dirt road away from the wet jungle! The sky was now clear and blue, save for a few fluffy white clouds that floated slowly to and fro. The high and majestic clouds looked like possible rain, and there was a light breeze that swept the land below, making the green grass dance for the sky's beauty.

This day was quite pleasant. Uneasy silence didn't find its way between us now, well, not as much as it used to. The prince never spoke again of what happened in the caves, and he looked more relaxed than before. His newfound joy reminded me of his sister. As siblings, they were a little different from each other, but he and Zelda had the same laugh.

But soon, the pleasant feeling of the day left us like a passing breeze.

As we were crossing the hills and towards the ocean, another boulder sat in our way, in the only place on the road where it would stop us completely. "What?!" My companion exclaimed. "Why is this here? Why would that group of moblins drop a roadblock here too?!"

First, I could only stare in disbelief at the rock while my friend complained about our cursed luck. How could we move on? We had to reach Mido! But then, as I wondered why it was even here, it began to make more sense to me. "They were waiting for me to leave the swamp." I pondered aloud. "And they wanted to make sure I would travel on the western road and not travel east away from them."

The prince huffed angrily in response. "Knowing why they did it doesn't reverse the damage. Now what can we do?"

There was only one way I could think of, but it would be long and dangerous. "There is a way to the graveyard if we go through Death Mountain."

But he was shaking his head before I even finished. "No, you should know as well as I do that it would take too long. Besides, that mountain is tricky. People struggle finding their way down once they're up."

"But we can't stand here! That mountain is the only option we have. I've been up and down it myself, I can get us through it."

"Yes, but are you certain you won't find us lost?"

That, I couldn't answer. I have been there a few times, but every time, come to think of it, I have struggled one way or the other. His Highness turned back to the roadblock. "I want those moblins' heads!" He cried yet again. "They have caused enough suffering to my kingdom."

"You're not serious about staying here are you?" I asked. "It could be days before someone even noticed it was here. Who knows how long it would take for them to move it?"

He sighed. "Of course I'm not staying. I just wish there was an easier way."

I didn't reply, but turned and walked back the way we came. I heard him curse that group of moblins one more time before joining me. We would have to walk the rest of the day back to the western road, follow it as it turns south, and then cross through the Water Town of Saria to reach the mountain trail.

* * *

In the distance, I could finally see the town and the towering Death Mountain past it. This was known as the Water Town of Saria because it was built around a river that split the town in two parts, but just a few miles up the road from it was yet another river that we would have to cross over by a wooden bridge. The woods on either side of us was staying behind and I could see a lot further with the fewer trees that remained.

The bridge was strong, but still creaked quietly as I stepped over it after my companion. The water underneath us splashed and bubbled soothingly. My attention was held tightly to the stunning landscape. It has been a while since I was in Saria.

But I didn't know that we were being watched by the water...

Suddenly, His Highness in front of me stopped when there was a loud splash followed by a glimpse of a small form, and it was a good thing that I was some steps behind, or I would have collided into him. "What was that?" I asked, but he didn't answer. Instead, he recoiled and went to unsheath the sword on his hip.

It was then when I was able to see past the prince's shoulder. It looked like the form of a fish that had jumped onto the surface of the bridge, but it wasn't an ordinary fish. This was a bago-bago, an undead, skeletal fish that had sharp, razor teeth. I have seen some of these before, in dark, evil, or sick places. But these were quite rare, and I've only seen very few. They like to attack with those horrible teeth on anything that breathed, and made it impossible to safely enter the water. I've never seen one jump out of the water and onto a solid surface though, and why was this thing here?

I followed my companion's move, but as soon as I had my sword in my hand, and Hyrule's heir approached the monster like he was thinking to just sweep it away, the bago-bago recovered from the flop and slithered at him at a surprising pace! The prince hesitated in shock, but recovered quickly enough to swing low. The monster flew back into the river.

Then His Majesty looked back at me. "Since when has this river been infected? I have not heard one report about it."

I wished I had an answer, but I could merely shrug. "I don't know, I haven't seen those monsters here before."

But that wasn't the end of it. Soon, the bridge was filled with bago-bagos! Many before us, and some even behind us. At first, we fought back-to-back, breaking some of the bony fish in pieces, and other times, I had no choice but to sweep them back in the water. In which case, they could just spring back up. But there were too many of them! And as more and more just kept coming, I realized that our best choice was to run!

"We need to reach solid ground!" The prince yelled, obviously thinking the same. "I need you to cover me!" The thought came to me how he was yet again assuming the leader role here, but I ignored it. He was right.

I slashed my sword across a bony fish that came too close to me, and backed up to stay close to the prince when he took a few steps ahead. He kept his expert footwork as he slashed and kicked at monsters so he could clear enough space to keep moving ahead. Like he asked, I kept my focus behind us, chasing away the dangerous water dwellers as they tried to take the advantage. I felt like we were there for hours, and I swore that every second we were there, that many more undead fish joined the fight.

But the plan was working well. Finally, I believed we have accepted teamwork instead of just doing what we can on our own. We were edging forward! Closer and closer to the road on the other side! I fought my hardest, and prayed every second we would leave this deadly bridge. But the bago-bagos had a new strategy to turn to.

Like the octoroks, a few of the monsters started to spit out rocks the size of my fists from their mouths. I took up my shield and was forced to stoop low to deflect them away, but there were so many monsters, and it was increasingly difficult to deflect and attack at the same time. The prince behind me released a grunt of shock. The monsters ahead were spitting rocks too. Lucky for him though, he was covered in armor, and I had to crouch to stop from getting hurt. Even then, rocks slipped past my defenses and stung every time. Once, I was so busy stopping flying rocks that I couldn't react in time before a small bago-bago squirmed close enough to sink its needle teeth down in my boot.

Thank the Goddesses, it may have sank those teeth through the leather, but it missed any flesh. I took my sword, knowing kicking it away would do me no good, and stabbed down. The metal cracked through the fish skull and it lessened its grip as it died for a second time. From there, I swung the weapon, with the monster still attached, over and up. The skeleton left the blade and was then sent flying back to the river.

"We're almost there!" Zelda's brother called. "Just hold on for a short while longer."

I could only pray those beasts won't still attack after reaching the end. For a second, I caught a glimpse of the grass border when I turned my head to look behind me. I quickly focused yet again on protecting the prince's back. We were so close to the end though, that my companion was fighting fewer and fewer enemies to move forward. Which was a good thing too, because his defense was becoming rushed and anxious.

As soon as His Majesty crossed onto dirt, he collapsed onto his knees. I too, wanted to fall over from the exhausting craze, but I chose to hold my pride up. I still didn't want Zelda's brother to see me weak. Instead, I bent over and allowed my breathing to calm. I looked over at the bridge where I had noticed that every sound of the horrible monsters had stopped.

The bridge was empty, like such an ambush was just our imagination. There was not one bago-bago, not even split bones where we shattered them. I took a step closer to look down at the river. The water bubbled peacefully and smoothly flowed down like normal. "That could have been a lot worse." The prince's voice stated behind me.

Again, he was right. A lot of things could have gone a lot worse than it did. But I wasn't thinking much about that. My thoughts were more confused on why they attacked us _here._ I have never encountered them at that bridge before. Was it related to the rumors? The simple thought of it again made me feel sick, but at the same time, I doubted it. They were not intelligent enough to take orders.

But then again, that didn't mean they weren't a result of the spreading evil.

* * *

After a short walk, we stopped to eat, and then picked up the road again for a little over an hour before Saria came into view. Like the river the town was built around, it was a calm and soothing place. I have been in this town before, but something about it was different this time. I didn't know what it was, but my instincts told me to turn around. And that feeling only increased the more we neared it.

I was trying to find out what it was that made me uneasy, for something in the air around the town seemed to make the sky dark besides the grey clouds that were sailing in over our heads. But once the dirt roads changed to stone, I knew what it was. The people everywhere were staring, and not at His Majesty, but at me. "What's going on?" The prince whispered. "Do you think they know who we are? Has my identity been found out?"

"No," I answered. "I don't think you have to worry about being discovered." People who didn't show awareness that we were there would stop and join the others once they saw. Some other citizens either came out of the houses to watch me, or stayed indoors and covered their windows. As we were passing, the ones talking with others dropped what they were saying and fell silent.

My unease continued to take over and now my heart was beginning to pound from the uncomfort. What's more, a short, bald man stood close by a sign just on my left. The sign was a welcome, saying, "Water town of Saria", but the town was far less friendly than I remembered it. This man, like the others, observed me, but with an almost frightened expression. The place soon became so quiet, making the wind sound stronger, but feel normal. The only thing I thought I could do was to keep moving through the crowd. Instead of shopping for any supplies, it was safe to say we should just move on with what we had. The path to Death Mountain was past the town's bridge. A knight controlled the pass only when he needed to. I just hoped he wasn't acting as weird as everyone else.

Even when we were near enough to the sign, I still wasn't expecting for him to grasp my arm! I hesitated, but the prince was quick and sprang forward, unsheathing his sword. "No, please!" The man cried, making the prince stop, but still gripping the sword close. "I'm not aggressive. I just need to know..." His voice fell to a quivering whisper, and he was still holding a tight grip on me. His eyes glanced nervously around us, like he wasn't sure about his choice of stopping me. "Are you him? Link?" He asked hurriedly, but in a quivering whisper. I hesitated yet again. "You wear the green tunic." He continued. "And you're young like him."

There was no point in hiding it, I'm sure everyone here knew who I was. "Yes," I answered. "I'm him."

"Are you crazy!?" My companion whispered harshly. I saw him open his arms on either side of him, like he was lost, but he quickly let them fall back with a soft, but thick, "pat" on his armor.

I ignored him though. "Why are you asking if you obviously know who you're talking to?"

The man glanced at the staring faces around us in a rising panic. When he seemed like he won't recover enough to speak, he still glance back at me, and then down at the grasp on my arm. He caught the sight of the Triforce upon that hand. It glowed differently at times, but now it was shining as bright as it could. It was totally visible even through the metal gloves I wore. He gave a short gasp before finally letting go of me, but said nothing of it.

When he spoke next, it was filled with even more urgency. "I hear them, you know? They are always talking about you, especially at night, beyond my windows." He swallowed and yet again let his gaze pass every one of the stiff citizens. "I know their plans." He somehow let his voice fall even lower. "You shouldn't be here! Eyes of Ganon are everywhere! They are looking for you."

And with that, he fell silent again, like this conversation was over. I was left feeling exposed and even more wanting to turn back and find another way to Mido.


	16. Saria, Water Town of Monsters

**Chapter 16**

 **Saria, the Water Town of Monsters**

I tried to show none of my emotions in front of the prince, but they still screamed in my head. Where were Ganon's spies? The man that still lingered around the sign like it was a protective barrier said that "eyes of Ganon" are everywhere. Are they here now? I wanted to shake him by the collar and demand he tell me more, but we needed to reach the bridge.

We turned back to the uncomfortable road, and now not only were the people still gazing at us, they were slowly approaching as well. "There's so many of them!" The prince exclaimed. "What do you think they're doing?"

"I don't know." I somehow kept my voice steady. "But something tells me it isn't good." I unsheathed my sword and shield and we sped up our pace.

But they were not staying behind. The citizens were coming closer and closer until we were easily surrounded. "I don't like this." His Highness whispered. "If only we could go unnoticed."

They more they came, the more nervous I found myself becoming. We had passed house after house, and every single one of them were locked tight. But, fortunately, when we needed it the most, there was a door that was wide open! "In here!" I shouted and grabbed my companion's arm. We quickly ran for the open frame, and luckily, none of the people were able to close in fast enough to stop us. I allowed Zelda's brother to go in first, and as soon as I was in, I spun, shut the door, and locked it.

"That was a close one!" The prince sighed. "But how can we reach the river now?"

"Shhh!" I hushed him, for just the second before he spoke, I thought I heard something in the room. "Listen."

He did so, and the gentle snore took over again. I turned around to inspect the room. It was a small house that had a simple rug, a few chairs and a table near the other end of the room near a window. A few closed doors showed there were other rooms. But at first, I unregarded the purple gelatin that sat as a formed lump on the center of the wooden table. As I watched it however, it rose up and down calmly, and then I realized that it was a bot that was snoring.

And something else caught my attention, a tiny, hand mirror was lying on the floor next to the table. "The window." I whispered, thinking if we sneaked out of it, we could probably better avoid the shady people in the street. "Careful to not step on the mirror."

He nodded and we, as quietly as we could, walked near the table and to the window. But just a few steps away from our goal and the floor creaked. I froze, kicking myself for that mistake, but as silence filled the room again, I noticed that the snoring stopped. "Master? …Is that you?" I heard a groggy voice ask. I looked back at the bot. Its eyes were now visible and was staring at the both of us.

"Don't do anything you might regret!" The prince threatened, bringing his rapier up and towards the bot. At first, the gel creature was silent and just continued to glance between us, but then, it began to juggle and a soft, funny sound arose. It was laughing.

"That's the best you could do?" It asked when it settled down. "You must try harder with your threats if people just find your attempt hilarious."

"What's funny about it?" His Majesty countered. "I _will_ hurt you."

The bot merely sighed and looked over at me. "So you're Link, aren't you? You're causing a lot of trouble around town. I can tell, without even leaving the house."

"You know who I am and you don't want to attack me?" I asked, generally shocked.

"Honestly," It answered. "I could care less if Ganon is revived or not. It doesn't concern me. I'll leave the madman hunt to his spies and my kin."

The prince seemed convinced that the monster wasn't planning to hurt us, because he slid his sword back in its sheath. But he still proceeded with a question. "If you could care less, then why did you ask for 'Master' when we came in?"

"Ganon's not my master!" It yelled, sounding offended. "I serve Bagu, we have a long history. He lives in a cabin north of the river in the woods, and I'm not the only one who works for him; the guard by the town bridge does too."

"Bagu?" I asked, looking over at my companion and wondering if the name sounded familiar to him. "I've never heard of him." The prince shook his head like he didn't know of a "Bagu" either.

"I figured with you traveling the map so often, you would have met him by now." The bot responded, "Well, I guess I _can_ wish you two good luck, if you need it." Its eyes darted to the floor, where the mirror rested. "Ah," It exclaimed. "It seems that wizard left his magic mirror here! Do me a favor and return it, won't you?"

I didn't answer, but stooped to pick the mirror up and moved again to the window. "We should go."

But right before I reached the way out, back to the town, the bot spoke again and stole my attention. "Happy hunting." It said with a sinister snicker before letting himself doze off again. I didn't turn back, I pushed the window frame open, hoisted myself up, and crawled out.

After sneaking through the alleyways, there were less people to avoid even on the streets on this side of town right now. I had thought that they stayed behind by the house still, just wanting us to come out. We remained as quiet as we could, and stayed behind buildings when we could. When there was an opening, or if we had no choice but to cross the street, I would check to see if it was clear before continuing. We were nearing the bridge by now, but our luck wasn't going as smoothly as I had hoped.

I was in the lead right now, and I hugged the wall of a house and looked around the corner, but nothing was there, so I beckoned the prince to keep close, and then quickly ran to the next shelter. Once more, I was looking over the next corner when I heard the prince's voice. "Back!" He exclaimed. We were discovered! I looked back and saw he was threatening a woman who looked like a normal, day-to-day citizen. The prince held his sword tight in his hands. "What do you want with us? Why is the town like this?"

She didn't answer with words, and she hardly moved. But as we stared at her dead in the face, I was confused on why she didn't yell or anything to alert the others. But then something strange happened. The tan of her skin turned a dark gray, her form was distorting into something unfamiliar, and she was shrinking from her size. Her eyes changed color, and wings tore her clothing. When the transformation was complete, there was no trace of how she used to be. She was now the complete form of an ache. She screeched and beat her wings to keep her in the air. And then, still too quick for anyone to react, she lunged at the prince.

My instincts dropped me low and, before I knew it, I was holding my weapons. When I was able to even recount what happened, I have seen that the prince had successfully moved to the side and allowed her to sail straight past, although he had not struck her. Once she was away from us, I quickly pointed my sword, and shot beams at her. Then, too easily, her wings flitted and she fell to the ground.

But as I turned back to look at the streets, I realized that her screech attracted the others!

"Link," The prince whimpered. "We need to run."

All at once, faces began to change into their true identities. Aches, stalfos, girobokku, and dairas stood in their places. They were all heading for our weak stance in the alleyway. "No," I answered without thinking much of our options.

"What do you mean 'no'!?" His Majesty asked. "Hiding will do us no good now! Maybe we can loss them if we make for the mountain!"

I stared at the approaching force. Thinking of them following wizzrobes' orders made me feel sick, but I haven't been scared of monsters for years, not ever since I was forced through those fears many years ago when I went on a journey to save a particular princess. I wasn't going to let Ganon make me fear his minions again.

No, if we ran, we will only drag the fight to the bridge. Anything's possible, the knight may not even be there, but monsters could have taken his place as well.

It was stand up and fight, or run and become surrounded later. I am a hero, I don't run. "We have to fight this time." That was the only explaination I gave.

"No, there's too many already!" He yelled back. "Swallow your pride, and let's get moving!"

I couldn't believe he wanted to argue about this again. "I can't do this with you now." I shot back, and it was true, because by now, the monsters were coming close. It was now or never. I thought I heard the prince scoff in disbelief behind me when I dash around the corner and into the street.

I was prepared. As soon as I could see my targets, I started aiming for the aches first. By the short time the other creatures closed in on me, there were only a few aches left. I have to admit, I was half surprised when my companion joined my side, sword in hand. "You don't have to join me, you know." I spoke. "You could have left to the bridge."

"You know I can't do that! You could get yourself hurt, or worse." He shook his head. "My sister would kill me if I let anything happen to you."

I couldn't hide the smile from showing, and casted "shield" to better defend myself from the horde.

The dairas were anxious to get in the fight. They stood like humans and wore light armor, but had hide, tails, and faces of crocodiles. The axes they wielded looked really heavy, but they didn't seem to struggle with it. Among those enemies, were girobokku. These were tough, floating eyes and had thick red skin around them that could not be pierced. However, what they had in great protection, they lacked in speed, and quickly, they were left behind when the other monsters started their charge.

I didn't intercept, or meet the charge, instead I ducked under a daira's swinging axe, and stabbed while low at another daira. I stood up and kicked at the attacker and slashed at a nearby stalfos. I did hardly any damage to it though, and the skeleton ran in front of the staggering daira to better attack me. I pulled a quick feint by the legs, and when the stalfos move to block it, I took the head off with my blade.

The horde swarmed around us like a small army. Countless of creatures came in front of the others to fight more effectively. More of the stalfos came to replace the one I just killed. The dairas on either side of me moved to strike me at once, and I ducked low to the ground once more to avoid it. The axes sank into the scales of another one and took them out of the fight. As I stood up again, I was met with an ache, and before I could react, it slammed into me with all its might.

Now was my turn to stagger back. I fell over a stalfos who was standing behind me, and I fought to not hit the ground. The stalfos did, however, fall, and even shattered almost like glass upon the stone paved roads. The pieces of bone slid and scattered the enemy forces like water around it.

The scattered enemies tried not to hesitate too long and stepped over the broken stalfos pieces. But they hesitated long enough for me to take advantage. I used my shield to push some back, and my sword wisped across the unprepared opponents. Some backed off even further away with terrible wounds, and others responded by quickly blocking with their own weapons.

The crowd was beginning to thin somewhat. I turned my head, hoping to catch a glimpse of the prince, but a small group have pushed him back where I could only see the top of his curly brown head. I knew he was holding out though, the monsters that were turned towards him were struggling.

But I didn't have a lot of time to watch. I had enough fights here on my own, and the girobokku finally decided to show themselves on the battlefield. They couldn't be pushed back as easily, and were invulnerable with the lid of the single eye closed or lowered. They knew of their tough skin, so they used that to their advantage whenever they could. The dark clouds that have covered the town finally let the first few drops of rain descent onto the field of battle.

But I couldn't worry about that now. I knew there was a girobokku floating right behind me, but I resumed fighting with the stalfos in front. I waited for the perfect moment and stepped under the girobokku. The stalfos's lance struck the curious eye monster harmlessly, and I took the skeleton out of the battle. I then stabbed my blade right through it the unprotected part of the eye.

I turned around and brought my shield in front of both the stalfos and daira. The daira struck first, but I was already protected. After the attack past, I struck back, but that was also blocked. I shoved my shield into the stalfos and struck the legs. The skeleton fell to the ground, but I failed to pay attention to the daira in that short time. I felt a nick on my arm from the axe, but luckily, the shield spell only let me receive a smaller cut, a partial size of the weapon used.

Another daira came to where the stalfos was standing just a second ago, and I knew there were two stalfos and a third daira coming up from behind me. I held my sword pointed to the side and waited for the enemies to attack… When they lifted their weapons, I released my spin-attack! My sword swung quickly in a full circle around and damaged the monsters in its way. Some dropped down and others merely staggered.

I brought my sword swinging down vertically on the still recovering daira, but my blade met with the long handle of the axe. The opponent regained his footage, and pushed against the sword. I kicked at his legs, and he buckled down again, and I finished him while I could. A few girobokku found their way to me and I had to struggle past their invincibility. "Link!" I heard my companion cry suddenly. "Help!" But I hesitated, and when I turned to where he was, the only thing I saw was a shield in my face.

My vision flashed in blurs, and the hit left me quite dizzy. At first, the whole of my face was completely numb, but then the pain slowly seeped in. I wanted to help my companion, but I couldn't recover fast enough. I knew whatever it was that hit me was going to take this time to strike with his weapon this time, but the only thing I could do was to hold my own shield close and move away from the attacker. I tried not to tumble or fall backwards when there was a strong smack of metal against shield. Somehow, I successfully defended myself. Now was my chance. I stood up straight and blinked the dizziness away, but I then realized how close the stalfos was to me. There was nothing I could do in that quick second but allow the strike on my thigh in return for a strike of my own.

I quickly took the arm away, and didn't hesitate to break the monster in complete pieces. Then, I was finally open to reach the prince. Three monsters, a daira and two stalfos, had him surrounded. They were so focused on striking again and again, with the prince only able to parry and dodge, that they didn't see my next move. I completely shattered one of the stalfos, and the other two flinched after turning around. Then, His Highness took the advantage, stabbing the back of the daira. Finally, once those two were down, it wasn't too hard to take out the last skeleton.

The battle was finally done. Blood from the heaps of bodies swirled with the rainwater on the now darker pavement. I replaced my sword and shield back, and sighed, feeling exhausted. His Majesty seemed like he wanted nothing more than to fall on the ground. "I don't know how we did that." He also cleaned and sheathed his sword. "We almost wiped out the entire town! Now we should be able to continue in peace, right? At least for a little while?" But as I began to turn back around to the road, I saw figures of more people standing in the rain.

And started running towards us!

"Maybe not." I answered, and directed His Highness's gaze towards them. The prince lightly smacked my shoulder to turn my attention back to the alleyways. We were both wounded however, and I knew we couldn't run very far, but he wasn't waiting for a response. He ran in between the closely knit houses, and I pursued. With every stride my leg burned with the rush of spilling blood, and I could feel it from my arm as well. True, I had used "shield", but it was an axe that swung down on my unprotected arm. I should be thankful I still had it. I could see now how injured my companion was too. He struggled to keep up the pace, and he had marks and cuts denting his new armor.

I knew our enemies would be soon running around that same corner, and I could only pray to the goddesses that I was quick enough to stay ahead. But my leg continued to burn until I couldn't force it to run anymore. I fell to my knees, overcome with pain and ashamed of my weakness. "What are you doing!?" The prince yelled, turning back to look at me. It was hard for me to tell if he was alarmed or just angry.

"I... I can't." I found it was difficult to breathe enough to even speak a word out. My own sweat stung the gashes all over, and I couldn't steady my gasps for air no matter how hard I tried. I'd wished he didn't turn. I'd wished he never saw me like this, and that hurt me like a dagger in my soul. But yet, I couldn't change it. "You need to go on." I begged him. "I'll only slow you down. We'll hide better if we split up anyway."

"No, are you stupid now too!?" He exclaimed, making fun of me as always. "You have to stand up, or they'll catch you! And that isn't an option." He grabbed my bloody arm and pulled me to my feet.

Shivers ran down every bone in my body when I heard the shouts of our foes coming closer. "If I stay with you, then we will both be caught. Trust me when I say we will survive better if we take different roads right now." Please trust me, I thought. I believed I knew what I was saying. He looked as if he wanted to object, but time has run out.

"All right, but stay safe, Link. Hyrule's counting on you." He looked me in the eye, and I saw his newfound trust and respect. He gave me a gently shove towards an alley passage next to us and he turned back to where he was running in the first place.

I didn't stay and watch to make sure he got away. Once again, I pushed my limits and down a few more passages before I fell back behind some crates and stayed there. Voices and pounding marches chased down the alleys left and right, but soon, everything was quiet where I sat. I wondered, was the prince safe? Did he get away? I worried for him, but I suppose if he was caught, I would hear some sort of commotion.

We weren't even at the river yet. How can we reach the mountain safely now? Both of us were tired and wounded and beyond the bridge was the second part of town. I didn't doubt for a moment that there were enemies there too.


	17. The River Guard and the Bridge

**Chapter 17**

 **The River Guard and the Bridge**

Just to be sure the patrol lost me, I stayed behind the crates for a while longer. The wounds on my arms and legs burned, and since I was here anyway, I took the time to bind the ones that bled the most. When I was convinced it was safe out there, I stood and began looking for my companion. Surely, he would have stayed in the alleys. He wouldn't continue for the river guard, would he?

"Your Highness?" I asked in a whisper. But no one answered. I walked down passage after passage, but quickly I was growing more worried by the second. Did they capture him again? "Your Majesty, are you here?" I was nearing the end of the tight alleyways when I finally saw him again. He was fine, he wasn't surrounded by monsters, and it didn't look like he had any new injuries. He stood with his back turned to me hugging the corner of a house and staring out onto the street. When I called him a third time, he spun around, reaching for his sword.

"Link!" He cried. "You scared me." He exhaled and turned around back to the street again. "I'm glad to see you're safe though, I was just about to go looking for you."

"The monsters didn't find either one of us. I feel like they gave up too easily."

"Oh, no." The prince replied. "They didn't give up. I saw them split up into groups to search the town. They've only lost us for the moment, but they're determined. And if we don't move to the bridge now, I know we won't be lost for long."

"Yes," I agreed. "But, by now, I think it will be safer to take it on the open streets for now. The monsters are looking for a place we will hide, they'll not be expecting us to just walk out there."

"Still sounds like a bad idea." He retorted. "But we're so close to the river now, so might as well." Without waiting for my response, he glanced out on the street and when it was clear, he beckoned me to follow and broke into a low, but quick, pace.

The river guard was indeed on duty and he had taken away the bridge. The town's bridge was quite a wonder. By use of a crank that operated with chains, the guard can pull the stone, flat bridge into the ground under the stone street. At first, I thought that the beasts did it when they took over, but as we came nearer, I recognized the guard.

"It's all right, I know him." I assured the prince when he reached for his sword.

The guard looked like he felt a mix of surprise and disappointment as we came closer to the disappeared bridge. "Link, this is the last place in the world you need to be right now." He sighed before he glanced over our wounds with widened eyes. "Are you all right?"

My own blood was now old and crusted, but it had stained my clothes in many places. It still throbbed underneath the bindings, but we had little time to chat. "We can't talk right now, can you let us through?"

But the guard stood straight and shook his head. "I'm really sorry. I know it's dangerous here, but I still can't allow anyone through. Those are my orders."

"What? Why?" The prince asked, speaking my exact thoughts. "There are countless monsters here in the form of citizens! Surely it's safer over by the mountain, seeing as how it is now."

But again, he was shaking his head before the prince even finished. "Death Mountain is where these blasted fiends came from! I took the bridge down to stop anymore from showing up here, that's the least I can do."

It was my chance to speak up. "Can't you fight them and defend the town?"

"Well..." He chuckled weakly. "I would, but honestly, they haven't bothered us. We all know they are looking for you, Link. Besides, there are too many of them and too few of us. In fact, if they wanted to take over the town, then they could probably do it pretty easily. Instead of attacking them and having them fight back, the real people of Saria hid in their houses and and are allowing the beasts to patrol the grounds."

"That's idiotic!" The prince exclaimed, growing angry fast. "You mustn't allow this! You must do what you can for the safety of this town."

"Believe it or not, we sent a messenger to the castle for reinforcements. Maybe then the prince of Hyrule can send us some warriors and then we can fight them. Until then, I'm not going to release the bridge."

"We know it's dangerous back there." I spoke up. "But this is highly important. Please let us go through, and let us risk our own safety for our choice."

"I don't want to hurt you, so don't force me!" He replied. "Again, I'm sorry, but I'm holding fast to my orders. I'll get in trouble if I don't."

But we must go through! I cried silently, there's no other way to reach Mido. Must we wait for someone to remove the roadblock? That would take too long. Already, we were going a long and dangerous way as it was. But then, as I was standing quietly before the river guard, I remembered something that the bot said. He said the guard by the river owed something to Bagu.

Guess I wasn't the only one thinking about that, because the prince broke into another uproar. "You're making a mistake. Bagu sent us here, and he wants you to lower the bridge for us." He lied.

"Bagu?" The guard gasped. "You met Bagu? How did you know I owed- ...Wait." His expression of shock disappeared into a knowing smile. "The bot told you that, right? That thing, no matters how Bagu cares for it, is still mischievous and untrustworthy like its nature. If Bagu sent you, and you're not lying to me, I need to see proof."

Now the prince raised his voice and pointed his finger at the guard. "How dare you speak like that! I am the royal pr-" By that last word, I was able to react quickly enough to grasp and pull his shoulder roughly to keep him silent.

"Forget it." I said, mostly to my companion. "We'll go."

"All right, thank you." The guard replied. "Since town is so dangerous, I'll recommend you cut through the houses on your left. Then, you can leave town in a safe exit and circle back to the road."

I only replied with a nod and then beckoned the prince to go ahead. As soon as we were out of earshot, the prince snapped. "What was that!? We could have taken him and either force him to crank back the bridge or do it ourselves!"

"No," I countered. "That will only have us captured and thrown in a prison cell. He may be the only one on watch right now, but I'm certain there are more who will come to his aid if he needed it."

"So now what?" He continued, still mad. "We can't go to Mido, and who knows how long it will be until we can reach the Island Palace?"

"I do know one thing. Our friend there owes Bagu a favor, and if we convince him to, Bagu may have the bridge restored."

"Why would he do that?" His Highness returned.

"I don't know," I admitted. "But it's the best we have to go on now."

The rain was falling harder now, and clumping footsteps made me nervous. I turned without saying any more and led our way through the last alley.

Or, at least, I thought it would be our last.

"There he is!" A group of four "citizens" yelled from behind us. Not again! We were too weak for another army of attacks! As we broke into a charge down the alleyway, we were nearing the end when more disguised beasts blocked us off, forcing us to turn down another road. My leg began to burn again, and I was fighting hard to keep up the pace.

Soon, we were chased back out on the street where there were more starting to surround us. My shield spell wore off a while ago, and I wasn't sure if I had the energy or focus to cast it again. The rain felt like it was pouring streams now instead of drops, and neither one of us could soak any more water. It filled my hair and made it heavy so that it was falling in front of my eyes.

The rain muffled the sound of the beasts when they all at once started to morph into their true forms. "What's the plan?" The prince asked nervously beside me. "How do we get out of this?"

We were in a lot of trouble, but as I looked around us, I saw there was no way out. There was nothing left to do. "We can't. We just have to hold on for as long as we can before an escape finds us."

"No, if we fight, you know as well as I do that we will lose." He stubbornly pointed out.

"If you can find a way out of this, then I'll want to know!" I yelled back, unsheathing my sword and grabbing my shield.

But as it turned out, we didn't have to hold on for very long for something to happen. Before the monsters could close in fast enough to flash their weapons forward, a quick form raced by and yelled before grasping my shoulder. "I am not your enemy! Quickly, come with me!"

He took us to one of the nearest houses and was able to push us both inside fast enough to slam the door shut on our pursuers faces. Now that we were inside, the monsters started to beat on the door and tear it apart. The man who rescued us was the town's elder. Like the others, he wore the same robes that showed his rank, but he was younger than the one from Ruto and had a shorter, grey beard.

"We don't have much time." He stated as he barred the door tightly shut. "But there is another door in the back. Take it and leave town at once!"

"Thank you!" The prince yelled, and he turned to the door, but I wasn't done here yet.

"Wait, before we do, were you looking for this?" I asked, taking out the hand mirror.

The elder stared at it with wide eyes and took it from me. "Why, yes! I've been looking for this stupid thing. I thought I lost it for good!"

"We found it on the floor in a house with a mischievous bot. May I ask why was this? Did you, the wise man of Saria, have a purpose with this monster?"

He stuttered with the answer before just telling me. "I- yes. I suppose I did."

"Link! Come on!" The prince had to yell above the pounding on the door. But I ignored him and waited for the elder to explain. This wouldn't be so important to me, but this was the town's elder, I knew him, and I was really confused on why he would be in the bot's house, talking with the monster. It just seemed curious to me.

"The monsters that have been launching in on attacks across Hyrule made their purpose clear indeed. They were searching to revive their master, the evil Ganon, and so they were seeking the one who killed him in the first place, Link. When the monsters began to settle and take over this town, I seeked the bot's advice. He would know the most of the plans from his kin, and yet, he wouldn't care to keep it to himself."

He chuckled. "It's ridiculous to think that I, the wise elder, would seek his advice, but I didn't know how I would be able to help you in this mess." He held up a finger like he forgot something. "Which makes me think..."

He moved quickly to the bookshelf opposite from the barred door and tossed a scroll to me. "This is a valuable spell, but not a simple one. If you can't cast it, feel free to sell it and use the money for something else that will keep you alive. I now have done everything in my power to help you. Stay safe, Link! If the monsters' whispered rumors are true, then if you fall, Hyrule will be doomed with the return of Ganon."

I didn't know how to reply to that. I stood silently, holding the spell he gave me, and feeling the world on my shoulders like I once did so many years ago. I thought by now, after such a long time protecting myself and being a hero, that was a feeling I would never feel again.

"Go, lads." The wise man beckoned. He turned to watch the door that was already becoming weak from the monsters' pounding and attacks. I didn't resist his demand this time. Still feeling suddenly overwhelmed by my quest, I turned to the back door that my companion already stood past, waiting for me.

But then, when the elder wasn't following but rather staying where he was, I turned back yet again. "What about you?" I asked.

He said nothing, but gave me a sly smile and nodded. As I watched him, he slowly grew transparent until he disappeared entirely. The pounding on the barred entrance continued, and I finally joined the prince at the back door.

* * *

"I can't tell you how relieved I am that we're out of that place." His Majesty said as we walked down the road past the bridge with the bago-bagos. Like last time, the bridge was quiet until we crossed it, then we had to fight the skeletal fish yet again, and now we were heading for the forest north of the road. The rain hasn't slowed down in the slightest, it still fell like a pouring waterfall. But there would be no shelter from it until we can reach the trees. The clouds were still so thick, it was almost impossible to tell what time it really was, although I imagined the sunset would be falling into darkness about now. "Even if we have to go back there, at least we know what to expect." He continued.

But only part of me was listening, the other half was enveloped by responsibility of the entire kingdom. What if I fail? What was even holding me up this whole time? When Zelda was in danger again, I merely assumed that because I did this before, that meant I can easily do it again, but what if it wasn't that simple? Ganon might have a chance to come back with my death, what if there's nothing I can do to stop it? Zelda will never wake up if that happens...

"Link? You look pale. Are you feeling all right?"

My attention snapped and I drew my focus when I looked at him. "Uh, yes, I'm fine. I just wish we weren't standing in this rain."

But his expression stayed the same. "You've changed since you rescued me from those moblins. Did something happen?"

"I changed? How do you mean?" I asked.

"Well," He replied, taking a moment's thought. "Before you left me in that cave, you seemed to hold a hero's pride. You were confident, maybe too much, that you could rescue my sister all on your own. But now, you seem more timid and afraid. Why?"

My first reaction was to attack him with words like I used to, but I suppressed it. "I'm not afraid." I said instead. His Majesty never tore his gaze from me, and he opened his mouth several times to speak, but said nothing in the end. I never knew why I felt like I did before, but now I was beginning to hate the thought that he was right. Still, I refused to admit it to myself, but whenever Ganon appeared in my mind, I felt like a small boy again. Perhaps I argue with the prince because of how observant he was. Like he knew me better than I did myself.

By now, we were entering the woods, where the green canopy offered us shelter for the rain. In here, we will find the bot's master, Bagu. I only hoped that he would be easy to convince to use his favor, so we may cross into Death Mountain.


	18. Bagu, Master of Bots and Guards

**Chapter 18**

 **Bagu, Master of Bots and Guards**

I was still soaked and dripping with water from the rain. But now that we were in a somewhat dryer place underneath the natural canopy in the woods, I figured it was safe enough to bring out the new scroll the wise man of Saria gave me. Above the chant to cast the spell was the elder's handwriting in ink. "Spell of Life. When casted, it heals most wounds." Wow, now this is a spell I needed on this journey. Even better, the wounds that I took with me from town were still agonizing and wet from the rain.

My companion, the prince, edged closer to see the spell in my hands. "Does that look useful?" He asked, but before I could answer, I remembered the elder telling me how it would be more difficult to cast. He said it wasn't simple, and if I couldn't use it, I should sell and use the money for something else.

"Very," I finally answered, but still feeling a little disappointed. "But I don't think I can cast it."

"Why not?" He continued, still standing next to me.

"I'm not a magic-user, I'm a swordsman, and this isn't a simple spell."

"You don't know until you try." He returned without a moment's thought. Funny, I remembered he was the one telling me that I couldn't cast spells a while ago, now he's encouraging me. "Try to cast it."

I didn't want to cast a new spell in front of him because of the way he teased me, but now seeing that change, I decided to give it a try. "All right, just don't distract me." I replied. He backed away and I turned my attention to the spell. I studied the words hard and then closed my eyes. I allowed myself to first whisper the words a couple of times just to be sure I was saying them right. Once I had confidence that I had the chant right, I tried to feel the power of the spell and focused on the sounds of the words once I spoke up. I felt like with every try, I was more drawn in to the spell than the last, but still I felt no different. "I don't think I can cast this one." I said, opening my eyes to look at my companion.

He shrugged. "Honestly, I thought you were getting better at that. Just keep going."

Might as well, I thought. I settled back with the scroll and exhaled slowly, relaxing the tension that I felt from town. Before even speaking, I placed myself into the deepest trance I could muster in that moment, and started the spell again. Time passed, but I hardly knew it. The sound of the rain disappeared, and so with my knowledge of the fresh forest air and my companion standing only a few feet away. The last try before I gave up was my strongest attempt. I could feel the flow of the words from beginning to end.

But then everything came back to me, and I sighed, opening my eyes yet again to see the prince was still standing there. "I don't think that worked."

But he exclaimed and stared wide-eyed. I looked down and noticed that the scrapes and bound cuts were closing on their own, like they were never there to begin with. The little amount of blood that wasn't washed away from the rain simply vanished.

"You did it." The prince said, still staring. "You casted the spell! You're becoming a better magic-user."

I could merely chuckle from feeling partly flattered and embarrassed at the same time. But that gave me a thought. "I wish this spell could heal you too."

But he wove me off. "Maybe, but I'll be fine. Unlike my sister, I haven't practiced even the simplest magic, and I know I can't start with that one. Besides, you were in worse condition anyway." He glanced at the forest around us like it was the first time he thought about it in a while. "We should continue."

I agreed and took my place next to him, still thinking about the life spell. The walk to find Bagu was easier now that I didn't have searing pain in my arm and thigh. The rain, even though the trees kept out most of it, soaked the soil and filled up with the clean scent of the washed ground. Besides the sound of the downfall, the rest of the woods were quiet, and it occurred to me that the monsters, deelers, moblins, and the like, were probably busy seeking shelter that they might not have known I was here, walking about the woods.

* * *

We searched the place for several hours, but still every turn and direction felt the same. The bot only told us that Bagu lived in the northern part of the woods, but other than that, every place we looked here was a guess. I couldn't stop my frustration from showing, I didn't stop from growling impatiently. "We'll never find Bagu's cabin this way."

"We have no choice." The prince simply stated. "We can't go past the roadblock for now, nor can we convince the river guard to lower the bridge on our own. This is the only option we have."

I was about to say that the roadblock was probably taken care of by now, but I held my tongue. He was right, this was our last option unless we wanted to take any more time to group up some workers to break that boulder if it was still there. I knew for sure that this was the right forest! This is where the bot told us Bagu lived. But I was growing tired of searching, and I felt like we were not moving forward in our quest. The longer we try to find a way, the longer Zelda waits for us. But there was nothing more for us to do about it.

After walking quietly for a while longer with still no monsters to bother us, suddenly a group of megmats were found hopping together like large fleas. Despite looking like a rat, the megmat had the ability to jump more than five times their size. Their continuous leaps could injure a traveler who would get too close, and while they weren't that strong, it was hard to predict where they would fall. That was how they defended themselves, and once they saw we were here, they all started to leap towards us. They were quick, and after leaping on top of one of us, they tried to use their sharpened teeth to bite.

As we stood there, defended ourselves from the pests, I caught a short glimpse of something my made me hold my breath. I didn't see it as first, but a little while ahead, blending in with the woods was a wooden wall of a cabin. Was that Bagu's house? In that split second I became distracted, I allowed many of the megmats to reach me, and all at once, they sank their teeth into my skin. The sudden pain caused me to yell out before swinging and stabbing to free them. "Watch out!" I heard my companion cry.

But I was too late.

I didn't notice it at the time, but there were more megmats behind me, and they all leaped up on my shoulders and back, and locked their teeth where they were. I was overcome by maybe a dozen of the beasts! I couldn't hold up from both the weight and the pain. I stumbled backward and fell over, but as I crushed the ones on my back, I thought I heard them shriek and felt claws raking at my tunic when they tried to free themselves.

My instincts told me to roll over, to free the megmats underneath me, but every second, I was being torn open, and I could only feel the sting. I couldn't move in time before I saw His Majesty running up to me. "Hold still!" He commanded of me and he brought up his rapier to kill the pests one by one. When their grip lessened, I was able to roll over enough for the two on my back to crawl out and flee far and fast into the woods.

"What's going on out here!?" A deep voice growled. I could barely see the speaker from the corner of my eye, but he was running over to us wielding a wood axe over his shoulder.

"We were attacked by a group of megmats is all." The prince replied. "Are you the man known as Bagu?"

He sighed, and relaxed the weapon he carried before answering. "That I be."

"That's great. We've been looking for you."

"You have? Now I'm curious. You may come inside, it looks like your friend is hurt." He looked down at me, as I was still lying on the forest floor.

"I'm fine." I spoke, but still feeling every bite. "I just need someone to help me up." I reached for His Majesty's outstretched hand, and allowed him to pull me back to my feet. That was when I noticed for the first time how bad those bites were. Burning blood spilled down from every wound, especially from the ones near my collarbone.

"Are you sure about that? Those are pretty bad." Bagu returned. "I can treat them once we move inside." He then beckoned the prince to follow and help me along before he turned and made his way for the cabin in front of us. But there was no need to have the wounds treated, I thought, if I could cast "life" again. I ignored the stinging, and tried to focus like I did last time when I casted it. The first couple times I tried, nothing happened. It was harder to focus on the more you were injured, I suppose. This was a spell that I would have to practice with. But after a few more tries, I was able to cast it. The bleeding stopped, and the bites closed on their own, as well with the claw rakes on my back. I then followed my companion to the cabin.

It was a small, one man built home. The area around the doorsteps had a clearing where Bagu had cut down the trees surrounding the house. Tools leaned up against the stumps that were left behind. The rain was calmer now, but still continued to fall down, and here, where the stumps were all that were left from the mighty trees, there was no shelter from it.

Bagu opened the door and allowed us inside. The inside of the cabin was just as simple and humble as it was on the outside. A workbench sat opposite of an empty fireplace, and had metal tools strewn around an unfinished object. I could see within some of the rooms that had the doors open, and saw some still needed some extra work. "I can't offer much, but please make yourselves at home." He gestured towards a couch of leather. We sat down, and for the first time we met him, I was able to see him clearly. Bagu was tall and heavyweight despite his strength, and he had little hair. But for a bot's master, I never would have imagined him to look so kind and simple. His eyes glared down at me in confusion.

It took me a short moment to remember his offer to clean the wounds I had only a few minutes ago. "I may not look it, but I have a few useful spells up my sleeve." I explained. "Thanks anyway."

He nodded. "As long as you're feeling better."

"Did you build this place on your own?" The prince beside me asked, still marveling at the handiwork.

"As a matter of fact, I did." He answered. "I moved here for the peace and quiet. It's something I always wanted to do. Now, do you want to tell me what this is all about?"

I couldn't figure out how to answer his question. Why would he oblige his favor to strangers? But we came so far now, and I would let Zelda suffer any longer than she has to. I looked over at His Highness, silently hoping he would speak first, but I could tell he was hoping the same, because our eyes met for just a second before I chose to go ahead and speak. "This might sound greedy, but please hear us out. We know the river guard in Saria owes you something, and we need you to ask him to let us through him so we can reach Death Mountain."

Bagu was too stunned to speak for many moments. His mouth hung open and he stumbled over what to reply. I waited patiently for him to calm down and eventually speak up. "How did you know I knew the river guard? He wouldn't have told you that."

It was the prince's turn to explain. "Honestly, we met with a purple bot in that town who told us. He said you were his master, and the guard at the river also serves you."

"Ah, of course he would have said that!" Bagu exclaimed. "The nerve! He will tell anyone all of my deepest secrets just for the fun of it! I should have known when I spared his life decades ago, he would still carry his kin's mischievous nature, even to this day!" He sighed. "But I don't know why you're asking me, a stranger, to use his favor. Not only is that rude, but you're poking your nose into my business."

"Please," I begged. "This is very important to us, and it can't wait much longer."

Surprisingly, it was my companion who answered. "No, he's right."

My attention suddenly drawn to him, I felt a rising urge to shake him by the collar, after all, this was his sister we were trying to save. "What do you mean? We're in this together!"

"Sorry, Link, I should have trusted my instincts. Bagu's right, we're asking a stranger to help us through to Death Mountain. To force him would be wrong, and I won't stand by that."

"But," I argued. "What do we do now? We've been running all over the kingdom, and if we keep going like this, we'll never go anywhere with this quest!"

"We'll come up with something. I say let's go back to the roadblock. If it's still there, we'll look to assemble a group to help us destroy it, if not, then we've been wasting our time as it is." He turned at Bagu who has been standing there silently. "My sincere apologies, we shouldn't have bothered you in the first place." Judging this as finished, His Highness moved for the door.

I stood up from the sofa, but I wasn't done yet. "Bagu, I know how rude this seems, but I never explained to you why we're trying to cross Death Mountain." His Highness spun around, worry on his face, but I ignored him. "A dear, dear friend of mine is in danger, placed under a powerful curse. And the only way to save her is to go on a dangerous journey. Since a roadblock fell on the path to the Harbor Town of Mido, which is our next stop, we knew the only other way to reach it was to take an even longer, and even more treacherous, path through Death Mountain.

"But, because of a few circumstances, the river guard has pulled apart the bridge and won't let anyone pass. Right now, you are the only one who can help us, the only one who can help her."

Bagu remained quiet for a while longer, but he was listening.

"She means everything to me, and I want to save her as soon as possible."

Then Bagu finally spoke. "I can see you're telling the truth. This is very serious." But then he paused to breathe and think it over. I waited for his response, and even the prince held still by the door, looking back at us. "I would be doing the same for the bot, even though he's stubborn and we seem to argue all the time." He mumbled. "You two are young, but you look like seasoned warriors, you might be able to defend yourselves from the danger in the mountain." He sighed, shook his head, and moved to the table.

He went through a drawer, chose some paper, a quill, and ink, and began writing. The feather on the quill swished in the air, and the sharp end meeting with the paper created a sharp scratching sound. I was rather confused, but stayed put. My companion next to the door first looked to Bagu, then me, and I couldn't tell if he was unsure as well, or if he was angry with something.

Bagu suddenly placed down the quill and ink, folded the note, and handed it to me. "Show this to the guard and he should let you past, but please take extreme care."

I was so grateful that I took the note with a genuine smile and felt the worries of going back to the roadblock melting away. "We will. Thank you, so much!"

"Yes," His Highness replied. "Now we owe you a favor, but it is one that I would be glad to pay."

Bagu returned the smile and the prince opened the door. I followed him back outside to the forest. "Good luck." Bagu called. "And I pray you can save your friend."

"Me too." I returned. Bagu gave us one more smile and closed the door behind him.

The rain was still trickling down, and it was hard to tell what time it was, but the clouds carried its color of grey swirled with orange. I figured the sun was setting. "I guess we can go back to the river guard now." I stated, folding the note smaller so it would be better protected in a pouch.

The prince nodded. "But let's keep our eyes open for any more megmats."

"Agreed." I answered. They were quite a problem to fight despite them being large pests.

But I didn't know if it was related to these parts of the woods or the weather, but the things were everywhere! And since we had a long day, we had to wait to leave this area behind before we can find shelter tonight.

 **Author's Note: Wow, this is going to be a long story, huh? There's plenty more to come! I sincerely want to thank everyone who made it this far! You are the best!**


	19. Lingering Fears and a Rising Hope

**Chapter 19**

 **Lingering Fears and a Rising Hope**

The room was dark. I was barely able to see the fine carpet beneath me. The chamber was so wide and long that I couldn't see the walls or ceiling, but I wasn't afraid, this was the time. The time when my journey was coming to a close. In this room was the final guardian, and upon defeating whatever it was, I can go back home and wake Zelda with the complete Triforce.

I couldn't see the guardian, and at first, I couldn't hear it either, but I knew it was in here. It was probably staring me down just a few feet away. I could almost feel the beast's breath beating down on me. The feeling made me unsheath my sword and prepare my shield. There was no turning back.

I was surprised though, when the act of drawing my weapons caused a sinister laughter to boil forth from the beast. At first, I was offended. No one dared laugh at me! I was a hero, and no matter your tactics, I will find a way around them! But then something darted through me that froze me in fear. That laugh was familiar, I've heard it before.

"Who's there?" I yelled. "Show yourself, Beast!"

Suddenly, from nowhere, the guardian just appeared in front of me like it was there this whole time. Ganon was no different from the last time I saw him those six years ago. He towered over everyone with his size, and I could barely see the blue tint of his skin in the darkness around us.

But this doesn't make sense! Ganon is the final guardian of the Triforce?! "So we meet again, Link." Ganon greeted once he stopped his laughing. I had no response. My head spun from the sight of my old enemy. I was so captivated that I stood gaping and speechless. "I never thought I would have been defeated, and by a boy no less!" He growled. "But that doesn't matter now that I have another chance for my revenge. Your death is six years overdue, I won't lose this time."

"How are you…? When…?" I stammered, unable to come up with the right question.

"Yes," He replied. "I'm alive again, and after our battle, I will take the final Triforce piece, the Triforce of Courage, and take my long awaited rule."

I didn't want it to come to this, I had hoped all along that he was gone, and that there was nothing any of his minions could do to bring him back. "Then you give me no choice." I threatened him past my trembling fear.

But again, he laughed, his haunting voice bouncing all over the walls I couldn't see. "Such arrogance! Do you not know why you were on this quest in the first place?"

"O-of course I know why I'm here! Don't be insane!"

"Yes, you want to save your dear friend. How touching, but it's just as I planned."

"What...?" Just as he planned? What was he talking about!?

"I knew there were only two things in the world that mattered to you; your own pride, and your precious Zelda. It has been quite enjoyable for me to watch you suffer along in this journey, and my minion has done well with bringing you here."

"Your minion? Quit talking, you beast of madness!"

"Oh, but don't you want to know? Aren't you curious? You weren't sent on a quest from a siblings' dispute!"

I tried to not show any hesitation before I lifted my sword and charged to him, but just as the weapon swung down, he teleported behind me. I spun around to face him, expecting an attack, but he remained calm. "Don't deny it!" He yelled, having noticed me flinch. "The wizard who the prince of Hyrule used to curse his sister wasn't there by accident! No, Link, I knew it would not be likely possible for me to get my revenge in a second fight if nothing drew you to this place. I needed you to have a reason to show up here, and I figured the princess was perfect bait!"

I could hardly stand him any longer! "Shut up!" I yelled, feeling strong anger boiling inside me, replacing any doubt as I charged yet again. But again, he teleported.

"It's too bad the wizard died, or he could have gotten rid of the prince as well." He teased, and for a second time, I spun, but now pointing the tip of the sword towards him. Beams shot from the magical blade, and Ganon returned the attack by releasing magic missiles of his own. The spells collided and canceled each other out. Ganon was returning to his old strategy from six years ago, but I didn't remember him being so impossible to hit! Soon, he was teleporting so much and so rapidly, I could only catch glimpses of him here and there.

But still, my rage kept me trying to strike and shoot whenever I saw him, but this battle was impossible! I couldn't hit him once! But every time he teased or laughed, it spurred me onward, and I felt more determined to strike him. But after chasing down his every movement, I became bold, and charged openly.

That was my mistake.

Again, he vanished, but he didn't teleport far, because suddenly, he was two inches away to the attack! I could do nothing but stare in a second of terror as Ganon released a flurry of lightning from his grasp. I don't even remember what it felt like, I just know that it smelled like a sudden, hot fire, the loud cackle made me feel like I was going deaf, and those light blue striking bolts was the last thing I saw...

* * *

I propelled myself forward and reached for my sword, only to find it was not there! I stayed in panic, and started to glance around, desperate to find it, but I stopped to take in my surroundings. The cave floor that I was lying on was cold and slightly damp. Soft rain continued to drip down outside, creating a calming melody. The smell of the wet earth was not stronger than anywhere else, as every wall and ceiling was damp enough to emit it.

A darkened form that I didn't recognize at first stood by the cave's entrance, looking quietly at the rain and the thick, but light, clouds covering the morning sun. The prince turned around when I woke, and stared at me with startling alarm before his silhouetted features softened when he asked. "Are you all right?"

We had stopped for shelter last night, I told myself, taking quite a while to remember what happened. "I'm fine." I answered. "Just a dream."

He turned back to look at the woods. "I'm surprised it's still raining out there, but the clouds seem brighter and less heavy. The rain should come to a stop soon, at least, I'll remain hopeful that it will."

I stood and reached for my equipment that I kept nearby. "I don't feel like waiting for it to stop though, we should keep moving."

"I agree." He replied without hesitation. "Now we finally have a way forward, we shouldn't stop for even a moment." He stepped to the side, and allowed me out first, then he followed behind.

We were just on the edge of the woods, and after a few minutes, the open road came into view. Again, we followed it south to Saria like we have so many times now, but hopefully, it would be the last. "We'll have to fight with the bago-bagos again." I stated out loud, tired of the repeat trip.

I expected some sort of response from His Highness, or even a nod, but he didn't seem to notice my remark. That's unlike him, I thought. "Hey," I spoke. "What's going on? Ever since we left Bagu, you've been distant and quiet."

He shook off the stare he kept and scoffed. "Nothing wrong with that!"

"You were staring again too. Is something the matter?"

He kept silent, and focused on the road again. I decided to give up and do the same. But then he took a breath and finally replied. "Not... Really. I'm just thinking. When we were talking with Bagu, you were explaining to him about Zelda, and you said, 'She means everything to me'."

Now it was my turn to be silent. Something about the way he said that didn't sound good, and I didn't want him to accuse any answer I may give, but then he took my silence as an answer. "Wow, now you don't want to talk about it!" He exclaimed.

I prefer it when he was silent. "No," I answered. "She... She does mean everything to me, to us! Isn't that why we're on this quest in the first place?"

"You love her, don't you? How long have you felt that way, and why didn't you tell me?"

I sighed. "Calm down."

"No, this actually makes sense." He was still accusing, but not raising his voice anymore. "I get it, the hero and the princess! And you two remained great friends once you rescued her from Ganon those years ago."

"Quit assuming things!" I called, tired of the conversation.

"Then tell me the truth. Are you in love with my sister?"

Where would I go from there? How would I admit it? Again, the prince was right, I loved Zelda, and always have, but I never dreamed of telling anyone about it, especially her brother of all people!

"This is why I always assume with you." The prince spoke, clearly bored of waiting for my answer. "You never tell me anything, just stand in silence."

"Fine!" I cried. "Yes, Zelda has always been special to me, and if that makes you upset, then you can leave."

"I am angry about that, but here's my next question, does she know?"

"No!" That thought seemed absurd to me, so much so, I could feel my face becoming hot. I only hoped it didn't show. "And you better not tell her, or anyone for that matter!"

"Why would I?" He barked back, then stormed off ahead of me. And I didn't bother with chasing him down. I released another sigh from pure frustration. Great, he'll never let me go near his sister after this!

Gentle thunder accompanied the sound of rain falling on every exposed surface, and together, they stole the silence and echoed across the kingdom. The light the sun gave away was filling the dark gray clouds so they could reflect it back to the ground. I couldn't stop myself from glancing down at the pendent around my neck. The silver charm sparkled when it caught what little light the clouds casted down. Don't worry Zelda, we're on our way.

* * *

The town returned to looking innocent, but now I knew otherwise. Caught up with the prince again, I pointed behind the homes, hoping to go back in as we came out from the town. His Majesty nodded, understanding. And we crept around the town's outskirts until we can reach the bridge again. I noticed that there weren't as many "people" as there once were. Some of them probably decided to search somewhere else.

We had crept through the edges of town successfully and safely. Once we entered and headed for the bridge, we saw the river guard still standing watch, his eyes widened with surprise and he shook his head. "Not you two again!" He exclaimed."I already told you, you can't pass, and there's nothing that can change my mind."

But I was bringing out Bagu's note before I even stopped running. "On the contrary." The prince explained as I gave the guard the note. "I think you'll be happy to let us through after seeing this."

The guard looked skeptical, but yanked the paper from my hand. He opened it, and glanced across what Bagu wrote. "You- you weren't lying? You do know Bagu? But how...?"

"None of your business, all what you have to know is that we were telling the truth and he wants you to let us through." His Highness replied.

"I still can't... No, the captain will be so mad if I let you, but the favor... Oh, why does Bagu always wait until the worst time?" The guard mumbled, glancing back down at the note. "This is his handwriting for sure." Then he looked back up to us. "You gave me no choice, I can only pray for your safety." He stepped to the side and cranked the bridge forward. It moved slowly, and the river guard was working up a sweat bringing it out by himself.

Finally, a way for us to reach Mido. Even if it was going to be a long way through the mountain, I felt a forgotten glimmer of hope. "Now hurry up." The guard warned once the bridge was completely out. "I don't want to be caught like this."

I thanked him and we crossed past it and into the next section of the town. Luckily, there were not very many imposters here either, which made it easier to leave Saria behind. Death Mountain was so close by now, that it looked like it was taking over the sky.

Taking the road up the slope to Death Mountain reminded me of the time six years ago when I was trying to find the secret entrance to Ganon's hideout, Death, where Zelda was being held. I haven't been here very often since then, not for any other reason than there was little need to. The caves were confusing and twisted, I simply didn't want to explore in a place that, in the end, will only have me lost. Most of the mountain was too steep to climb anyway.

But since we were going in with the purpose to reach Mido, we would be forced to take the tunnels and pray we wouldn't get lost. It would have been so much easier if we could scale up the cliff next to the road to reach the other end of the path, but that wasn't an option. We will have to go through this the hard way.

We followed the road up as far as it would take us before we reached one of the first few caves. "Before everything," I warned. "We need to stay together, or the two of us wouldn't make it out of here alive."

"I'll try my best."

I brought out the candle and stepped inside the gaping mouth of the entrance. The sound of the storm now muffled, the dripping from the stalactite became more clear. Just from walking inside, I remembered how dangerous it was those years ago. The mountain would be even more so now that Ganon's minions were everywhere. Between the battles and getting lost, this will be very difficult.


	20. Through Death Mountain

**Chapter 20**

 **Through Death Mountain**

So far, it was still really quiet in here. Part of me was expecting something to jump out at us as soon as we stepped in. The smell of moist dirt and rock was overwhelming.

Boots crushed and scraped clumped soil, and the only light that emitted from the candle flickered against retreating dark corners. I turned my head and looked back. I could still see the cave entrance, offering the last chance to freedom before we wander and become lost in the winding passages of Death Mountain. But there was no turning back, not when it would take days or even weeks to remove that roadblock.

A few light chirps ahead made me hesitate, but the prince gestured towards the cave wall, where the sound was coming from. A group of lowder was preoccupied with themselves, fighting for a few drops of water. The prince picked up his pace and walked by them, but they were too busy to even notice.

I followed his lead and joined him around the corner where the cave opened up in a larger room. The rock walls and ceiling were reflecting water patterns all around from the pool off to the side. The prince took a few more steps into the room before stopping. He hesitated and glanced around, staring at the running tunnels we could see from this viewpoint. "Do you happen to know where to go from here?" He asked.

But I'm sure he already knew the answer. "Not a clue."

He turned away and sighed angrily before trotting ahead to a tunnel of random choice, not even bothering to ask me what I thought of it. I decided not to make him all the more angry by trying to take a different decision this time however, and just followed behind.

But yet again, he hesitated, and I almost walked into his back. He drew his sword singing from its sheath. A daira suddenly showed himself from behind a stalagmite swinging his axe straight for the prince.

I reacted a little slower as I didn't see the monster right away. I unsheathed my sword, but left the shield on my back. We still needed the light from the candle. His Majesty stepped over to the side. Dodging the axe and giving me more space at the same time.

The prince reached out and teased the daira into running closer. I was surprised when it seemed to pay me no mind as it took the bait and raised the axe again towards my companion. I took my sword and swung it low horizontally at the daira's hips. But it must have been paying closer attention than I first thought, because it moved out of the way just in time.

Then the prince quickly reacted and stabbed the beast right in the shoulder. The scales took most of the damage, and only a little stream of blood followed. But the daira hissed in anger and started swinging the axe at him like a madman. His Highness ducked, dodged, and stumbled side to side, but he couldn't parry an axe with such a thin sword.

I struck as quick as I could, and slashed a few scales off under his arm. Then, he turned on me and I backed up. The beast spun past the prince and charged. In a split second though, I remembered the pool was just a few yards behind me, and so I waited for the last minute, holding my sword and pretending I was planning to swing at him when he was close enough. But then I darted out of the way and let him fall into the pool.

The water splashed up into the air and created a wave that ran along the ground. The reflections all in the room shook like crazy before it settled. But it didn't settle for long, soon the daira came back up, drenched and grasping for the rock edge. He still held the axe tight in his hands and started to pull himself out of the pool. I aimed my sword and summoned missiles, and at the same time, the prince rushed over, brought his sword up and sweeping down at the daira's neck. The beast fell limp, resting the hand that gripped the axe like a vice.

The bouncing reflections all over the room soon calmed yet again, this time to be no longer disturbed. We both moved to clean our swords and continued past the stalagmite and into the tunnel. I was now cautious about any tight corners or obstacles that monsters could hide behind. That daira was just a reminder at how many of Ganon's followers were up here. We need to be more careful from here on out.

* * *

Long winding pathways, frustrating dead-ends, and repeated turns gave both of us, but especially the prince, bad moods. Quickly our decision making became arguments, which on a few occasions, drew us unwanted attention.

But eventually, one of these random tunnels that we were sure we took before, ended with a hopeful beam of light that led back outside. The rain had stopped and the clouds cleared away, leaving the sun to nourish the land again.

But we were not off the mountain yet. No, that was just the first cave of many. There was no safe way down now. Even if we wanted to turn around, it was very possible that we would become lost in the tunnels we just came through.

Flanking copses at the mountain edge shook in waves with the whistling wind, and the ground beneath our feet was mostly drenched dirt from all the rain and the grass that did grow here was thin and strong.

Right here, I could see another cave entrance just over to the left, or we can continue up the hill and there was another entrance up there. "So what now?" The prince asked, but like last time he asked, he already knew the answer. I shrugged and he scoffed. "You know, this whole trip up here is pretty pointless if we don't even know what we're doing. This place is a maze!"

"It's too late to start worrying about that now." I stated to try and calm him, but it seemed to make him more anxious. "Many years ago, I was up here without any sense of direction, and I still made it down. I wasn't taking these tunnels back then, and I wasn't headed for Mido, but I still survived the trip. We just have to do the best we can here." For Zelda, I added silently, not wanting to bring her up in a conversation again. Not when His Highness was still angry about finding out my feelings for her.

"Let's go up here." I said instead, taking the lead up the hill and towards the second cave.

* * *

I heard the bubbling before we even entered the cave, but the warm red lighting already confirmed my suspicion. Boiling lava sat in a deep pit that stretched end to end length wise of the cave. Above it, connected right into the wall, were two rock platforms like shelves. It looked like they ran along all the way to the other side of the cave. But I wasn't too sure about this. The rock shelves didn't look study enough to carry a person. Not safely anyway.

The other side of the lava pit looked like it was a dead end, but the wall was worn and crumbling, and as I was focusing on that, I saw a lever next to it on the ground. Who left it there? What is it for?

"This is no good." Stated the prince as he turned around back where we came, but I grabbed his arm.

"All the tunnels will be risky, we can't just turn around and keep trying new ones when we're presented with an opportunity here."

He shook his head. "We have other options! We'll just burn alive in here!"

"What if this is the tunnel we need to move through the mountain?"

"What if it isn't?"

By this point I was done arguing, but I wasn't about to give in to his attitude either. I let him go and turned back to the lava pit. It was then when I finally noticed the two myu lingering around the edge. Those small as a rock on the ground creatures with sharp spikes growing all other their dark blue bodies. They never have a need to attack because of their effective defenses. As long as I'm careful, they shouldn't be a problem there. I casted the jump spell and approached the first shelf. Even with the jump spell, it still looked far enough away that this will be very dangerous indeed.

"What are you doing!? Don't be stupid, Link!"

I ignored the prince's cries and leaped for the first platform. I felt my heart leap up into my throat. I was cutting it really close! I stretched out my arms and tried to reach the platform, hoping it would be able to hold my weight.

I just barely grabbed onto the edge, my sudden grasp loosened bits of rock and pebbles and they decended down into the boiling lava below me. At first, I still thought the platform was breaking, and I was going to fall in the lava with it. But it must have been stronger than it looked, because I was still dangling off to the side of it. The only question I had now was will it continue to hold when I pulled myself up on top it? I had to try.

I pulled up, struggling to bring my upper body up on the surface of the rock. Then I tried to swing my legs up next, but the more I tried, the more it started to crumble again. I knew it was going to fall as soon as I was fully on it. I need to figure out how to reach the second shelf before this one falls apart!

Once again, I had to ignore the constant yells from my anxious companion. But there was nothing he can do to stop or help now.

There was no way around it, I had to trust the crumbling ledge and place myself atop it. Even if it was just long enough to make a dash for the second, closer one. That was my plan. As soon as I was up, I tried immediately to leap for the next one. But already it was too late.

The only thing I knew was a sudden cracking sound turned into a severe crumbling, and I found I didn't have the platform with which to kick off of. Quickly, I was falling down with it.

I was shocked, it happened so suddenly! I tried to scramble for something to grab onto, but there was nothing. Then, as I was falling forward, I saw the second platform that I was trying to reach come closer and closer until I belly flopped on top of it.

The wind was knocked out of me, but the rock ledge held even after the brute force of me being slammed into it. I know I must have lied there for a few minutes at least, trying to catch my breath and recover. Until finally, I pushed myself steadily up. Again, the platform was holding firm, and felt more solid and reliable than the last one. I looked behind me. A jutted formation in the wall was all that was left after the rock crumbled and fell. His Majesty was standing there, silent, and looking like he was about to have a mental breakdown. He was stiff from stress and had his hands up on top of his curly hair. He yelled something to me in all seriousness, but I couldn't hear him over the lava now anyway.

I turned back to my last jump for solid ground. A group of myu lingered here as well. The spikes along their bodies retracted in and out as they crept slowly around each other. The light giving off the lava gave them a more reddish-purple glow.

I had to jump long, so I wouldn't take a risk that I might land on top of one. I backed up and placed my hand on the wall, preparing a running start. Dashing, I propelled myself forward, and leaped so far, I almost crashed against the wall. Instead, I rolled a few feet and stopped right in front of it. But I had safely made it over the nestle of myu.

I stood up and brushed myself off before pulling the lever. It fell with a click, and then a louder clunk followed behind me. I turned back around yet again and saw a slab of stone sliding from a cranny under the prince's feet. It stretched over the lava like a bridge until the other end connected into the ground where I was standing.

I saw the prince hesitate, but then he broke into a quick pace and crossed the bridge, knocking one of the near myu off into the pit with his sword. "It's too bad this wasn't here when we came in." He stated with a rising anger. "Then you wouldn't have to risk your life doing those dangerous stunts just to reach an old wall."

"Just trust me, I know what I'm doing." I argued.

But he pointed a proud finger. "No, see? That's the problem, I don't think you do! You're just saying you do because you think you're a hero and that means you know everything."

Without responding, I turned to the wall, unsheathed my sword, and pushed it into a weak point where the wall was cracking the most. Dust flew, and pebbles fell apart as I rammed my sword into it again and again until it gave way.

I sheathed my blade once the job was completed, and stepped to the side, beckoning His Highness to go in first. He growled, but walked in without a word. I followed him in, but this too, led to a dead end. It was a small, round chamber, with statues melding with the wall, staring down with wide human features at a single pedestal in the center.

It seemed like the only purpose for this hidden room was for the small hammer leaning on top of the pedestal. It looked ordinary and dirty. I slowly picked it up and turned it over in my hands. The handle was too thin to grasp with a lot of strength, and the rectangle head too small to deal with any kind of damage. But I knew it was important. I've seen powerful magic in small tools like this, this concept wasn't new to me.

"That's it?" The prince finally asked, glancing at the tool. "Why did we come all the way over here for this?"

"It has to be magical." I answered. "We should take it. It'll help us, I'm sure."

"I think we wasted our time. I've seen magical objects, and they never looked so ordinary."

"Well, I've seen some just like this. Besides, do you have any other thoughts as to why it's here? Let's just take it, it can't hurt anything. I'll carry it around."

"Fine." He shrugged and walked back out through the opened wall.

I sighed, dealing with him was so exhausting.

* * *

Hours passed. As predicted, we had lost our way. We took tunnel after tunnel, but we were just wandering around in circles. Every last cave we tried had some sort of familiarity about it. The prince's mood had soured even further, and he spoke like he was still blaming this on me.

The caves were filled with bago-bagos and more dairas. There were even times we encountered a few basilisks. They were large green lizards, and they were highly territorial. They spit a ball of glowing, searing liquid to anyone who came too close to their homes. And their scales were like steel, deflecting our weapons right off. The best strategy we had was just to stay as far away as we can.

The sun had already set a while ago, leaving the world below a dark silhouette against the army of stars lighting the sky. The thought of setting up camp for the night in a place like this made me uncomfortable, and the prince was too angry to think about rest. But as we continued searching through the caves, the night caught up with us, and we knew that was all we could do today.

"We'd better sleep in shifts tonight. If the plains in Hyrule were dangerous for us to sleep in, then this place will be worse." I reasoned. "What do you think? I'll take the first one."

He responded with a shrug. "Sure."

Again, I can hear the bitterness in his voice, and he barely even looked at me. But I tried to continue ignoring his temper. This was an issue he needed to solve himself.

We came to a close knit of rocks a few yards away from a copse of trees. This will be our safest option. Almost at once, His Highness settled down on the ground in between them, and I perched on top of one, deciding to take it as my watch post. The noble chose to say nothing else about his problems. And I allowed him to rest.

 **Author's Note: Hi, thank you for taking your time to read this. And can you leave me a quick review if you have been? I haven't updated in a while because, for an unknown reason, OpenOffice just decided to corrupt this story, and I lost 5 chapters. 5 whole chapters! I'm really upset about this. This is the 3** **rd** **time I wrote this chapter. I'm still dedicated to finish this story, but sometimes I wonder if it's worth all the pain. Your review would help me out a lot, even if it was just a few words.**


	21. The Silver Pendent

**Chapter 21**

 **The Silver Pendent**

The next morning, I still felt stiff and tired from little sleep. But I shook it off without complaint, and we went through the tunnels again. But the daylight made little difference in our efforts. Again, hours passed, and we hardly made any headway, if we made headway at all.

"This is getting us nowhere!" The prince exclaimed. "We're stuck up here. We can't even get back down if we wanted to!"

His accusations became more serious. I patted the air, gesturing for him to calm down. "We both knew the risks when we came up here! Don't worry, we'll find the way. We just need to keep looking."

"I have memorized all these tunnels, we've taken every road possible! There is no way further." By now, we were exiting a cave back outside. I prayed to the goddesses to please let this be a new area.

But it wasn't.

No, this was the same place we've seen over and over again. This was the same place we slept last night. His Highness took a few more steps forward before giving up and taking a seat on the boulder closest to us. He exhaled and let his head fall into his palms. I respected his choice not to argue further, and sat quietly next to him.

Minutes passed without a word between us. I closed my eyes and focused on the sounds and smells of the mountain. Early birds and late crickets chirped from every corner, and a cool breeze sailed through the copses, making the pines brush up against each other, and giving the critters a soft percussion for their mountain song.

The early morning was a little chilly up here, and the wind that dipped down amongst the edges of hardy grass smelled open, crisp, and clean like freedom. I remembered how much I love the smell of the beautiful air, especially up on mountains. But it didn't give me peace this time. In this situation, it only mocked our inability to move forward.

I briefly heard the prince lament beside me. He still held his head and barely looked at me as he continued speaking. "This was a bad idea. We should have waited for someone to move that roadblock." He chuckled hopelessly. "Not like that changes anything now."

I glanced away from him and flinched. I barely saw a thin silver light running through the grass when His Majesty saw it too. He elbowed me and sat up. "Link, what is this?" But I couldn't believe what I was seeing anymore than he could. But what astounded the most about this was the source.

It shot from the center of the silver pendent given to me by Zelda.

"The pendent..." I whispered, mainly to myself. "Zelda didn't give me a piece of jewelry for my birthday, she gave me a tool for my journeys."

"But where is it going?" The prince asked, standing up.

"Let's find out."

I charged ahead, and he followed close behind. The beautiful light swam across the field and entered a tunnel though a spire of rock. "Why is it taking us here? We've explored this one already." The prince stated, sounding curious, but I trusted what the pendent was doing.

Sure enough, as we followed it a little while longer, it shot straight into a wall, and disappeared past it. "Here!" I exclaimed, running up to the stone and running my hand over it. I didn't see very many cracks, but the wall was indeed weak here. I took out my sword and damaged the wall further until it was too weak to hold itself up anymore. It fell all at once with a loud crumble. If we haven't scoured this cave from top to bottom and routed out the monsters, I would have been worried that the clutter would attract unwanted attention.

"How did we miss this?" His Majesty asked with astonishment in his voice.

I answered with a shrug. "Too focused on the roads I guess." I stepped in the opening, and once I was past the flying dust, my attention was snatched by the sparkling light again. I followed it around a tight corner and was startled by a few skettlars standing just on the other side. They seemed just as surprised as I was, if not more so. Skettlars were large, one-eyed scorpions that dwelled in the deep of caves. The gray armor covering their bodies were a darker shade from the dirt that had settled on them.

They acted like they were offended from my break in, standing there, clicking their pincers again and again, but they made no move to attack until the prince came around the corner. Now they were afraid. Almost at once, they lifted their tails over their heads and the stingers shot bursts of flame! I reacted quickly, darting in front of the prince and holding my shield out in front of me. The flame roared and collided up into the metal barrier, before sizzling out.

Their scaled armor would be too protective to strike through, and so the singular eyes were their only weakness. But most of them knew this, and like the girobokku, they kept the eye closed most of the time. And attacking them will be difficult with a risk of being stabbed by that poisonous stinger. I had to be careful. Watching closely, I edged over to the side, thinking to sneak by them harmlessly. But they weren't allowing it. The two closest to me crawled in my way and flashed the stingers down at my feet. I tried to jump back, and while it was more of a stumble, I avoided the attack.

Somehow, I still had enough time to take the advantage. I dropped to my knees and pierced the red eye glaring at me. The skettlar gave a final squeak before falling limp in a pathetic pile. The others took that as a warning and backed away. Now was our chance for escape! I turned and gestured for the prince to follow closely and I darted down the hall. This time, the creatures didn't try to stop us, but stood back and watched us retreat.

"Thanks for that!" The prince called after me, no sarcasm in his voice this time. I nodded, it was nice to hear a genuine thanks from him for once.

* * *

We walked until it was dark out again. But this time we have been following the light of the silver beacon all the rest of the day. We were led in and out of caves, both dangerous and quiet. We walked up and down steep cliffs, fought monsters everywhere we went, but the journey around Death Mountain was finally over.

Once we left the last cave, and was walking down the rocky decline into dark green grass again, we were greeted by a pleasant breeze and a taste of freedom. Even the prince seemed to calm down. The silver beam began to thin until it was no more than a flickering sparkle.

The Triforce hanging around my neck was unaffected by the light it produced. If we become lost again, I wondered if the light will come back? The pendent filled my heart with hope. This whole time, we've been trying to help Zelda, but this time, even though she wasn't with us, she saved us. Where would we have ended up if it wasn't for the pendent she give me? Thank you, Zelda, I thought silently, and prayed to the Goddesses for us to succeed in our journey, that we may save her and bring her back to us.

The cliff trail descended down into the grass, where we stopped for the night. We slept in shifts again, as we were still too close to the mountain to be safe. But the night remained quiet, and even though that made me even more nervous, the night passed uneventful.

The prince woke me up still early in the dawn, and with hardly any time to wake, we were off once more. The further we walked, the more water was standing in between the soft, healthy grass. Soon, the land became like a swamp, although this one was less sticky and miserable. Many mobies lived here. We were never attacked, but we received many warnings. They flapped their large, brown wings threateningly at us. And those wings were gigantic and strong enough to make a senior warrior flinch. Everytime they opened their prey hunting beaks, a shrill screech came out and echoed across the corners of the world!

We left the land as quickly as we were allowed, which was a good thing indeed. Because we have overstayed our visit, and some of the mobies tried to charge us straight out. Luckily, no serious damage was done to either of us.

It took us the better of the day to finally reach the town's graveyard. The day had been full of beasts out for my blood. I was quickly growing tired of, at every turn, seeing monsters turn to greed thinking about their chance for success, and chanting their cause along their members.

For a rumor, there were a lot of believers in Ganon's army. It made me wonder if they had a plan after all. Tog said some wizzrobes may have the power to bring him back, and I knew Ganon had quite a few in his army, but since the start of this quest, I haven't seen any. Perhaps they were hiding away, gathering their resources and studying the spells for my return. I shook the image from my head, if that was true, I hope I never have the see the wizzrobes.

The town's graveyard was the largest of any in Western Hyrule, covering the entire southern span of Mido. But, despite this, being among the tombs gave me a sense of quiet beauty. The late sun began its retreat for the end of its sky, casting a warm yellow down on the smooth graves. The tombs were made out of many different materials, some made with light quartz, others with granite. The old king who set me up to being the chosen one was said to be buried here. His tomb was the biggest of any, and stood in the center of the graveyard. The gray cross right at the top towered high and caught most of the sun's warm light. Flowers of many colors were laid down respectfully on the tall base.

The beach wasn't too far away either. Calm waves lapped over the shore just a few yards away from the border of the graveyard. The soft sounds, collected with the beautiful light and smells of flowers and sea spray, was a fitting resting place. I thought the scene to be very honoring for the passed.

It was hard not to become lost in it all, but we were here with a purpose. Now wasn't the time to visit the fallen. A mile past the rows of tombstones, I can see the harbor town of Mido ahead of us. The buildings were tall and white, making this city feel very different from the others. It was like the city caught what remained of the sun and shot it at every direction so it looked like the centerpiece of the beach. The ships at the end of the dock were magnificent and large from all the way over here. They rocked and creaked with the rolling of the waves, and I heard people shouting, crates thudding, and ship bells being struck.

As we were nearing the town, I felt the prince grasp my arm. "We must be careful," He warned. "The town of Saria was corrupted. What if this town is as well? We'll never know what to expect."

"I know, but if we're to reach the Island Palace, we have to enter town." But I was already nervous about that thought, and the more we neared the streets, the more I glanced around us and tried to keep watch on every passerby.

When no one even bothered to look at us, His Majesty continued. "How are we even supposed to find a ship? Everyone knows the island is unreachable. No sane person will offer a finger to help us."

"The island may be too dangerous to reach by boat, but there has to be another way. The old king of Hyrule wouldn't have made a palace for the chosen one if he can't even reach it. I'm sure this is just another challenge."

But he wasn't convinced. "They're going to make a laughing stock out of us! I can't handle that, not with my reputation."

"Here, you're not a prince." I reminded him, edging closer to him to let him hear the seriousness of my hushed tones. "This is all we have to go on, or this quest stops here."

He stood there for a minute, chewing the idea over. When he spoke next, he sounded upset, but willing. "Fine, but this better get us somewhere."

I nodded, and led him through the docks. I was still feeling cautious about the people here, but they seemed pretty normal. Soon, I started to feel more comfortable in town again. The citizens were going about their day like usual. The markets were open, and vendors advertised, greeted, and smiled behind their stalls. The smells of fresh caught fish mingled with warm bread.

The markets by the dock were bustling. A crowd had gathered around us, and chatter settled in the air. Beyond that, I can hear the cries of sea gulls and the commotion by the ships become louder as we neared the work site.

We approached a large ship with pearl white sails. Workers carried crates and barrels aboard the deck, and others were tending to needs to ready the ship to sail out. If anyone here would be capable of helping us, the captain of this ship will be the most likely to.

I felt someone tap me on the shoulder. "Link," His Highness whispered. I turned to him and he gestured towards the deck. I followed his gaze to an older man, dressed of high rank, and calling with leadership and authority. That must be the captain.

He wasn't too far from the edge of the ship. Still trying to stay out of the workers' way, I came to the end of the dock and raised my voice. "Excuse me, Sir! Are you the captain of this ship?"

To my surprise, I had spoke high enough to catch his attention. The man turned and looked at me. His face was weathered and rough from experience on the sea. "I am." He answered in a strong voice. "What is it that you need of me?"

"We wish to talk with you, if you can spare a moment of your time."

He nodded and marched past the rail and to the board leading down onto the dock. As he made his way down to us, he slapped the passing workers on the back and complimented their work so far. Then, he moved out from the board and stood before us. "Now what is it that you want to talk about?" He asked, folding his arms across his burly chest.

"We just came to town and we were wanting to find a ship to sail on."

The captain nodded and stroked the end of his furry white beard. "I suppose... If you can pay the fine, we'll take you with us. We were heading for Eastern Hyrule tomorrow morning as it was anyway."

Then, a pang of nervousness arose in my gut, and I looked to my companion for support, but he remained silent. So I continued. "Well, Sir, we were hoping..." The captain lifted his eyebrows. "You can take us to the Island Palace."

As predicted, he nearly fell over on his face with belly laughter. My companion, His Highness, threw up his arms in frustration and walked a few feet back, staring out to the sea. I didn't say anything further, not with the captain laughing as hard as he was. Passing workers and crewmen glanced back at us, but continued working.

The captain's roar went on for a good while before he finally calmed down and had to catch his breath. That was when I spoke. "Captain, I know the island has always been difficult to reach, but I can tell you are very experienced. If anyone can reach it, I'd bet you can. We can even pay you a lot of money for it."

He exhaled one last time before standing straight, a bright gleam still in his eye. "What? You're telling me you're serious? This isn't some kind of joke?"

"I wish it was."

Suddenly serious, he cleared his throat. "Lad, I hope you trust me when I say there's no way I can help you then."

I started to object, but he spoke above me. "I'm not going to risk the lives of my ship and crew to drop off two young _boys,"_ He spat it out like it was an insult, "On an abandoned island that the best sailor can not even reach. Not even for the King's treasures!" He huffed, and turned back to his ship.

But I wasn't done yet, not without a lead of what to do next. "Captain, wait!" To my surprise, he heard me and stopped. His back was still towards me, but he had turned his head. "Please, if you won't do this, then at least point us to someone who will help."

"What you're looking for is not a sailor. No, if there is _any_ way to reach that island, you're going to need a strong wizard." Still not bothering to turn around, he brought up his arm and stuck his thumb pointing across the street. I glanced in his direction. He was pointing an old house just across the stone pathway off the dock. "That's the town elder's house." The captain gave a low growl. "Good luck, you're going to need it. The elder never really liked strangers who wastes his time, especially now that his granddaughter is sick." Then, without bothering to say farewell, he made for his ship again.

"He seems like a charming fellow." The prince said with tough sarcasm after the captain was out of sight. "What do we do now? We're back where we started, even worse now that we can't rely on a ship."

"I don't know," I admitted. "I'm at a loss. But it's too soon to give up yet. I say, let's find an inn and decide what to do in the morning."

"Probably the best we can do now anyways." He agreed. "With rested minds, we might be able to come up with new plans."

I shrugged, picking up the pace back for the street. I was out of ideas, and the last thing I wanted to do was to sleep away at an inn. But if I was determined enough to continue running around, we would be awake all night. And then, everywhere will be closed and people sleeping.

But as our feet met the stone road, I found myself staring up at the elder's home. The captain was most likely being sarcastic when he said the elder might be able to help, but for some reason, I suddenly felt like that may be our strongest lead right now. I wondered if he was still awake this late in the evening.


	22. Error's Secret

**Chapter 22**

 **Error's Secret**

Without explaining myself, I approached the elder's door as we were passing by it. Even though he was behind me, I knew His Majesty had stopped and was watching me curiously. "What are you doing? I thought you said we were going to an inn." He barked.

"I changed my mind." I replied. "The elders are powerful, and they had always helped in the past, maybe he'll be able to help us now." Before the prince could object further, I came up to the door and knocked.

Minutes passed, and I didn't hear any movement inside. Perhaps he already went to bed. "Come on, Link!" The prince called. "We can try again in the morning if we need to."

I didn't reply, but sighed inwardly, turned, and walked a few steps away. But then I heard the door open behind me. I turned yet again and saw a very tired man with bloodshot eyes and tangled brown hair and beard with gray poking his head from behind the door frame. "What do you want at this hour?" He said roughly, I could tell from his expression and tone that he wasn't happy.

"This was your idea." The prince reminded me, sharing a quick glance.

"I know," I whispered back. I looked forward at the elder still awaiting my answer, and I froze for just a second, not knowing where to begin. "Good evening. I know it's growing late, but may I ask to take a moment of your time?"

"What is this about?"

"I know it sounds odd, but we were wondering if you know anything about the Island Palace. You see-"

"The Island Palace!" He exclaimed, but still not moving from the door. "Everyone knows it's impossible to reach. My knowledge cannot change that."

"Yes, but perhaps you know another way? A way to reach the island without the use of a ship?"

"No," He barked, barely taking in the question. "And nothing you say can give me a means. Even if I had something to offer you, I'm too tired from lack of sleep to cast anything. Now, if you pardon me, I need to see to my ill granddaughter." He made a move like he was going back inside, but then he stopped to turn and grumble. "The poor girl is suffering a horrible illness that she may not recover completely from. Even my spells have done little for her."

"Please, Sir, wait!" I called, stopping him from going inside. "Give her this. It should take the sickness away." I reached into my pouch and brought out Tog's red water of life. I stepped closer to the door and handed it to him.

He stared at it in bewilderment before speaking. "Is this the red water of life? It's really rare, only talented witches can brew this." He mouth left agape, he turned his head and called in the house. "Martha! Come out here!"

The call was followed by approaching footsteps, and I heard a woman's voice from inside. In just a few moments, the elder moved to the side and a younger lady showed up beside him. She looked just as tired as he did, and she squinted, bringing her face to examine the contents in the bottle closer.

"Red water of life." The elder explained. "This is what we need. This will, without a doubt, save your little girl."

Before he even finished speaking, she grasped the bottle like it was a long lost love, and she hesitated for just a minute before she turned back and ran in the house.

Suddenly, the wise man's entire demeanor changed. He sighed and relaxed the tension in his body, he even gave a sincere smile to us. "What can we ever do to repay you?" He said like he had forgotten why we were here in the first place, but before I had the chance to answer, he continued. "Please, come inside." He stepped back and held the door open.

The inside of the house was clean and fresh. The organized space made the living area feel large and luxurious. The place looked newer in here than it did from the outside from the street, where it looked like the elder's home was the oldest in town. I heard the door shut behind us, and the elder came ahead of us and beckoned towards a circle of couches and armchairs.

I moved to exchange a look with my companion, but he was already sitting down. I shrugged, taking a chair next to him. Once the elder sat across from us, I spoke of my request again. "We came here because we were hoping you can help us reach the Island Palace."

The elder exclaimed. "Oh, that's right, you did say that." But he hesitated. "Why? Why do you need to reach the island?"

"Trust us," I answered. "It's very important."

But before I could go on, he spoke up. "The island isn't one for the faint heart, and it's definitely not a place for an explorer. It's dangerous."

"So you do know more about it." The prince remarked.

And again, the man hesitated. "Well, yes, but there's nothing I can do to help you reach it. That island is too powerful for a wizard's spell, the old king made sure of that."

"Will this change your mind?" I asked, bringing my hand up for him to see. The Triforce glowed in response, still seeping past the metal of the gloves. The elder gasped and stood up, reaching for my hand with shaking fingers.

"That can't be!" He cried. "I can't- I never thought I'd meet the chosen one in my lifetime! You're going to the palace to unite the Triforce whole again."

"That's right. Do you know how we can reach it?" I asked again.

He looked about the room like he was either not sure where he was, or he was making sure no one was around. He sat back down slowly. "I don't." He finally answered, but he spoke again quickly to beat back any comment made about it. "But I know someone who can. It is said that the old king trusted only a few people with that kind of knowledge, as he wanted to make sure only the chosen one will learn how to reach the island. These people passed down this information through their offspring."

"And you know one of these people." The prince finished.

The wise man nodded and lowered his voice. "They call him 'Error'. He's a man from Ruto, but you're in luck, he's been trapped here since that roadblock fell. And since then, he has been helping the crew remove it. You may still find him there, it's still a few short hours until dark."

"His name is Error?" I asked, baffled.

The elder nodded once more. "They say his great-great-grandfather made a foolish mistake that costed him his high rank from the king's side." He gave an ironic chuckle. "Reputation is everything when people know your family."

"Thank you," His Highness said as he stood up from the cushions. "Let's go see if we can make it in time to see him."

I followed his lead and made for the door. The wise man stood as well, but he walked past me to the other side of the room. "Chosen One, wait." He called, and I turned to see he was removing something from a shelf. It was a scroll, and he unraveled it to make sure it was the one he was thinking of. Then, he folded it back and held it to me. "Meeting you was a great honor, and I want to do everything I can to ensure your mission succeeds. This is the fairy spell. It's an odd spell, to be sure, but it may be useful if you can cast it. It'll turn you, and anyone you need to, into fairies. This will let you fly through tight spaces, but it takes practice." He allowed me to take it, and after a short moment of silence, his face dropped. "If you can't cast it, feel free to sell it and use the money for something else."

"Thanks, I'll see what I can do."

He smiled and I went back to the door where my companion lingered.

* * *

The roadblock was just a few miles outside of town, where the sides of the road met with towering cliffs, and the whole way, we kept a quick pace. The colors of the sky was growing softer, like the sun was beginning its night rest. We needed to make it there before too long.

Honestly, I was quite surprised that when we ded see the cliffs in the distance, I could still see the people like silhouettes working around where the boulder lay. I know the wise man said they will work until dark, but surely they wouldn't want to stay this late? By this point, once they cleaned and picked up their work, they'd be walking home in the night.

They nearer we came to the worksite, the more I heard them talk and yell among each other. Most of them were swinging pickaxes at the giant rock, but there were a lot of other workers picking up the chunks that were coming off, placing them in wagons, and wheeling them off to a large pile of rubble off the road.

There were many people here! Maybe about a hundred men came out here to work on this project. Now comes the challenge; which one is Error? Best if we ask. As we came up to the rock pile first, I stopped one of the men with a wagon approaching the pile. "Excuse me, Sir. Do you know a man named Error? Is he here?"

The man lifted a rock and threw it bouncing on top the others before standing straight. He looked at me and wiped off his brow. He nodded and pointed back by the roadblock. "He's chipping away with a pickaxe. Look for a big guy with black hair and a purple shirt."

I thanked him and he returned to throwing rocks off the wagon. The prince followed closely behind me as I led through over to the giant boulder. It was a large roadblock indeed. The hight of the rock reached most of the way to the top of the cliffs. It would have taken many moblins to roll this down in the first place. Not only was this group smart, but their power was frightening because they knew how to work together. This group should not be underestimated.

There were many men lined up here, pushing their backs in with every swing. Each and every swing resounded into a clink and a break into rock. I scanned all the workers until I saw one of them with the matching description for Error. He was swinging at the far right of the rock. I gestured to my companion to Error's location.

We picked up the pace. The worksite, especially here, smelled rancid of sweaty bodies, and the evidence was everywhere, coating and dripping off the workers' skin and clothes. Error looked like he was working no less. His hair was drenched and sticking against his head. Drips slid down and fell onto the loose purple shirt he was wearing. He was so focused in his swings that he didn't even look at us when we stood next to him. "Are you Error?" I asked.

He gave a flitting glance and a final swing before facing us. Then he leaned his pick against the rock and spoke. "Yes, I am. Why do you ask?"

"Can we please speak with you in private?"

"Sure, but make it quick. I'm just about to finish my work for the night." He replied and followed us away from the road and out of earshot.

"I'll get right to the point." I started. "We need to know what the secret is to reach the Island Palace."

But I wasn't surprised when he denied it. "The Island Palace?" He laughed. "That's what this is about? You interrupt my work to ask about the island that nobody can reach?"

"Give it up, Error!" The prince spoke up. "The elder told us to find you out here. He said you know how to reach the place!"

Error's face narrowed with disgust. "He told you? How dare he! The elders are sworn not to speak of those secrets."

"Stay calm," I pleaded. Keeping my hands low, I brought my left towards Error so he can see the glowing Triforce. Error froze when he saw it, his jaw hanging open. He swayed, but was speechless. This continued for a few minutes until he became blank like he was ready to faint.

Finally, his mouth caught up with him. "Ch-chosen One! By the Goddesses!" He exhaled a long breath. "You're him, that's why the elder led you here. In that case, I'll be honored to tell you how to reach the palace. The secret lies in the graveyard, in an unmarked grave south of King's Tomb."

"A grave?" His Highness asked. "How can we reach the island with the use of a grave?"

Error shrugged. "I don't know all of the details. The secret has been passed down for so long, I don't know what you'll find there. I just know you need to find that unmarked tombstone, and push it."

"Then we need to get moving if we want to make it before the sun disappears. Thank you." I stated.

He nodded and moved to shake my hand, unashamed like he forgot how sweaty he was. "Glad I can help you, Chosen One. Good luck!"

I grasped his hand firmly, and then we turned seperate ways. Once the site was shrinking behind us, the prince glanced back over his shoulder and scoffed, shaking his head.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Honor!" The prince cried. "These people don't know what it is to have honor! If only these people knew you like I did."

I couldn't help but laugh. "If only they knew who you really are! That's the real irony."

He returned the laugh. "Exactly."

* * *

By the time we reached the graveyard again, the sun had long set, leaving only a few dying colors behind. The night was cool and comfortable, and the sky clear. I had considered going to find an inn again, but the two of us were stoked and excited to find a lead to the island. Besides, there was still a tiny bit of light left. But there was one thing we weren't counting on.

We started from King's Tomb. The graveyard looked so different in the night, with the smooth materials darker and less colorful. There was no sun to be caught in the graves' reflections. But as we turned to the graves south of the king's, I saw something interesting. I noticed the flowers that were left here at the base were nothing more than pink and yellow petals sprinkled on the ground. Who would have done this? Who would take flowers left on a grave and rip them apart like that?

His Majesty noticed it too. "We must be careful." He said quietly, shaking his head. "Something tells me we aren't the only ones here."

"I agree, we need to keep our eyes open." I replied. "Meanwhile, we don't know which tomb we need to push. You try these here, and I'll go further down." I finished by pointing at the relative graves. He nodded, and I left his side to take my place.

I didn't even know how to start. Best just to go down the rows, I decided. I bent down, grasped the sides of the first tomb, and pushed all my weight into it. But it didn't even budge. I sighed, standing up again. This is going to take us a while. I turned my attention to the next one, and gave it a push. But this one didn't move either.

I straightened again, already feeling tired. With all of this shoving and bending over, I'll be sore in no time! But just before I turned to the third one, I thought I heard a voice behind me. Whatever it was whispered and laughed behind my back! I spun around, but nothing was there.

I shrugged and turned again to the tombs. But I felt like I was being spied upon. A few more graves, and I heard the voices return. Again I spun around, and again, nothing was there. Giving a huff, I turned back.

And was face to face with a giant eye.

The next thing I knew, I was stumbling backwards until my heel crashed into a tomb behind me. I couldn't stop from tripping back and falling, landing sprawled in an awkward position on the cold earth.

This beast was a moa, a different type of ghost that took on the form of a giant eye with incredibly long eyelashes. Dispite having only an eye, it had a high pitched voice that seemed to come out of nowhere. And it gave its squieking laugh as it glared down at me before sailing off in the air. Its long green, wispy tail leading behind it.

I sat up and used the tomb nearest to me to help me to my feet. As I came back up, I saw the moa was soaring for His Majesty. "Watch out!" I yelled.

He glanced my way and ducked, the moa flying above his head. I saw him unsheath his sword and wait for the ghost to come racing back down again. It was then when I raced to join his side. But more moas were slowly appearing. Soon, the sky was filled with many mischievous flyers, tails of green, blue, and red whipping about behind them.

The few nearest to me at the time soared down and lingered in my way, screaming and laughing. By this point, I was fed up with them! I brought my sword out and shot at the nearest ones. All the light giggling turned to serious screams and they scattered.

But they weren't done, and now they were angry.

Two rocketed straight to me, the long eyelashes being pulled by the wind. I waited for the last possible second before bringing my shield out in front of me. Both of the eyes crashed against it, blinking away the impact. I pulled the shield back and slashed at the still stunned ghosts in front of it. They screeched and disappeared in a color of smoke that matched the color of their tails.

I glanced back up at my companion, but he was holding himself fine. The ghosts whirled around him, but he was focused. He slashed at every single one that tried to fly into him. It was good that he stood his ground, because more of the ghosts were flying towards me.

They were tricky, but weak. And their only method of attack was to fly into their opponent. Really, as long as I paid attention to all of them around me, they couldn't even come close. One strike from my sword made them disappear, and quickly into the battle, the moas that didn't flee were defeated.

Now the only ones remaining faught with His Highness, the prince. Again, I began trotting to join his side and help. But when I was just a few feet away, he struck and finished with the last one. "Are you all right?" He asked when I slowed down. I nodded, and he looked up into the sky. "Do moas usually appear here at night?"

"Never. At least when I'm here, it's usually pretty peaceful, even at night."

"Well, now it's no longer a safe place for the townsfolk. Why are they just starting to appear now?"

I shrugged. "Probably for the same reason all the other monsters are showing up. They're trying to catch me."

"Hopefully when we find the Triforce, all this will stop, or I'll have some serious issues to resolve. Anyway, we should find that grave and fast before more of those things show up."

"Right." I agreed, leaving his side again at once and returning to the graves I was searching earlier. I quickly went back to shoving the tombs one by one down the rows.

The moas never returned while we were there, but nonetheless, I worked quickly, not taking a moment to breathe in between each and every shove. So when I finally found a tomb that slid back when I pushed it, I was still bracing all my muscles against it, thinking it'll hold. I fell forward and nearly collided my face with the stone tomb. I looked down, barely catching myself, and barely avoiding a fall down into the dark pit that was underneath the tomb.

I cried aloud. "I found it!"

"You did?" The prince called back, rushing to me. "What is it?"

"A passage of some sort. I wonder where it leads?"

He stared down at it, but it was deep and impossible to see anything down it. "I don't know, but I'm glad we finally found something to help us."

My heart started to pound at those words. Finally, we were going to the palace to defeat the next guardian! We were one more step closer to saving Zelda.


	23. Reaching the Island Palace

**Chapter 23**

 **Reaching the Island Palace**

"So, how are we going to climb down there safely if we can't see anything?" His Highness asked.

We were still standing there by that opened tomb. The pit below was dark enough as it was without it being night out. I didn't want to go to town now, not after finding this secret! But perhaps we don't need to climb down?

"I have an idea." I stated aloud. I brought out the scroll the wise man of Mido gave to me and unraveled it. Perhaps we can just fly down? But I hesitated, I knew this to be the hardest spell I would attempt to cast yet, and we didn't have all night. I expected, like many times before, the prince to criticize my abilities as a magic-user, but he didn't say anything about it. Confused, I turned my head and looked at him, but he simply nodded like he approved of my decision.

I shrugged, shaking off his weird reaction and closed my eyes, repeated the words a few times to make sure I had them. Then, I focused on the sounds of every syllable. Minutes passed, and nothing changed. With every repeat of the spell, I fell more and more into focus, but frustration quickly pulled me out of it. "It's too difficult." I huffed, losing my patience.

"No, keep going." The prince replied. "You can cast it."

I could no longer hold my surprise. "What do you mean? You're always telling me how I can never be a magic-user! Since when are you so supportive?"

"True," He agreed. "But every time I said those things, you always proved me wrong. You showed me that you do have the abilities to cast these spells." He chuckled. "You know, you can really annoy me sometimes. I thought when you were trying out magic, you wanted all of your bases covered. You already mastered swordplay, so you wanted to show off with yet a new skill."

What? Is that what he really thinks of me?

"But I see I was wrong to think that way, you're just trying to solve problems by using the spells you have. I hold no doubt you can cast this one." He finished with a nod, beckoning me to continue.

My confusion still not resolved, I turned back to the spell again. He thinks of me as a show off? When has he felt that way? From the beginning of the quest, or perhaps from the very beginning when I brought his sister home six years ago? Of course, I never tried these spells for my own reputation, I even objected casting the first one, saying it's something I'll never try.

But his words were tinted with familiarity. All of the confidence I have as a hero, was it too much? Was my reputation too important to me? After I rescued Zelda the first time, my confidence boosted, my abilities never questioned from my own standpoint. Should I be more careful? Is this dangerous?

I pushed back the questions for now. This wasn't the time to ask myself these things. We needed to move before more ghosts show up. I looked down at the spell one more time and closed my eyes again. All of my thoughts melted away, leaving only the sounds of the spell behind. Even time felt like it had stopped, allowing what felt like all the time in the world to cast this.

In the solitude of my mind, I spoke the words again, and they answered back.

I felt a light prickle across my skin, and a sensation like I was being pulled to the ground. I opened my eyes and saw grass towering high above me. I looked up and saw the graves like palaces themselves! The sounds of night life were all the louder, and the smell of grass and dirt stronger. I spun around, not knowing what I'll see for my companion. The wise man said that the spell will work on others as well, but I was half expecting to see a giant standing behind me.

But no, what I saw was the prince, at my same height, staring agape at the forest of grass around us. He had a pair of nearly invisible wings on his back, only a whisp of white brushing by it every now and then actually revealed they were there at all. And from the widening look on his face when his eyes rested on me, said that I also had wings. "Link, you did it. Of course, I knew you would, but this is amazing!"

"And since it's working now, we should waste as little time as possible with it. I don't know how long this will last."

He agreed and I turned to where the dark pit was. Taking a few steps forward, and brushing back the grass out of our way, I saw the edge, and then I saw the hole, but this tiny hole resting under the tomb was now like a large canyon, a large, deep black canyon. I hesitated, giving time for the prince to stare down at it as well.

It was this time when I had considered the possibility of flying down there. I haven't used this spell's wings before, is it going to be just as difficult to learn as it was with the jump spell? I hoped not.

His Highness spoke those fears out loud. "I hope it's not as deep as it looks. I'd hate for something to happen that'll make us fall."

I swallowed, trying to think of something optimistic to say about it. In the end, I would rather push on, so I chose to say nothing, and I tried to lift up from the ground. Just like the spell gave a new joint or limb, the wings were surprisingly easy to use, but at the same time, they were different.

I hovered a few feet in the air, sliding slightly downwards, but I was not prepared to practice long. Without thinking much about it, I leaned over towards the dip. The prince followed. Since he was lower than me, he entered the pit first. The wings were now glowing a more frequent clear white and beating quickly, but he struggled, falling down faster than I was. He swung back and forth like a newly hatched bird trying to fly for the first time in his life. I wondered if I looked just as inexperienced?

The further down we hovered, the darker it became. Already, night was taking over, leaving little light as it was, but soon, the only thing I saw was the soft glow of the prince's wings. I reached into my equipment, bringing out my candle.

Even then, the only thing the light brought to my attention was the dirt walls surrounding us. Underneath us, I still saw nothing but a dark uncertainty, and above us, I can barely see the bright stars, being swallowed by these towering dirt walls. How much longer is this downward passage? Even if we were our normal size, we would have been climbing for a long time. Suddenly, I was thankful of the spared task.

But at least this gave us a little time to grow used to this weird spell. If we ever needed to use this again, we'll be more prepared for it. Already, His Highness looked to be more in control of where he was flying. The strokes of his wings where steadier, and he wasn't falling so quickly now.

Finally, I looked down and saw the rocky bottom. But that wasn't all, I could just barely make out a few shadows of something else. Was that some sort of creature?

"Link, be careful." I heard the prince's voice as I flew closer. My candlelight caught on multicolored shells, and then I knew at once this was a pack of lowder. They were now more terrifying at the size of elephants. As one turned to look at me, I could see every single detail about its insect like face. It clicked its stubby pincers and squeaked.

It was interested in me, and soon the others where approaching. But they couldn't fly, and I hovered above their reach. "This way!" His Majesty called above me. I must have been studying the lowder close enough that I didn't even notice him leave my side. Last I knew, he was ahead of me. I followed his voice. His was flying over towards the wall, where I now saw a decent sized hole. The pack of lowder squeaked after me when I left them behind.

But they weren't completely helpless. As I joined the prince's side, the lowder grouped up and began climbing the wall. Taking only a second to hesitate, we entered the opening and flew full speed down it. The lowder pursued us for a while, but while they can easily climb walls, they couldn't run very fast. Soon, they had to give up.

Carrying on, we came across a split in the road. One path to our left sloped upwards, and the other to our right, more steadily down. We decided on the latter.

* * *

The tunnel kept relatively straight almost the whole way, and we have been walking for, I'm sure, a few hours. Still, the passage hardly changed. There were no more lowder, no enemies down here at all. We trudged down a smooth, man made, dirt and rock tunnel. The fairy spell wore off quite a while ago now, the wings having grown transparent until they weren't there anymore. And so, we continued on foot.

Still, the tunnel would have been pitched black if it wasn't for the candle. Despite the road looking like it was dug by people, there were no man made tools left behind, not even a torch.

We walked mostly in silence, but both of us were growing tired. I didn't want to stop and rest. Just a little longer, I told myself, surely this passage has to change sometime? But we kept walking, and come across nothing out of the ordinary. Don't tell me we're lost again! Not down a single road with no turns!

I had figured that this will take us to some sort of tool, or perhaps magic, to help us reach the island. Why would it be so far down? There was no way this tunnel will take us to the island itself, right? How would that be? We entered this tunnel from the graveyard, it would be impossible to reach the island through a dirt tunnel! Not even if we were currently under the ocean waves!

But still, the road never changed.

I sighed, feeling aches and pains all over, beckoning me to stop. But I fought the urge. The stress of not going anywhere would keep me from resting anyway.

But eventually, after a long tiring walk, the road started to slope up. I hardly noticed at first because I falling into melancholy. But once my legs began to grow sore from the higher grade, I used the last of my energy to sprint up. "Wait up!" I heard the prince call behind me.

But I didn't slow. I ran up to the top where the soft light of the moon seeped in. The tunnel widened and entered into a natural cave. Like whoever built this tunnel dug it until it connected here. It was just a small bears' den, luckily, it wasn't inhabited. But the moonlight I saw a few minutes ago was now strongly drinking in from the mouth of the cave.

But the outdoors didn't look familiar. I exited the cave and stood under the stars. In almost every direction, we were surrounded by rocky cliffs. And those cliffs led down into the ocean. And the graveyard was nowhere to be seen.

It was dark, being just a few hours away from midnight, but I thought I saw towering spires and rocks in the ocean. They obstructed the view of the wide ocean. Truly, no ship will be able to weave past these rocks, and they protected every side of us. That can't be, was this the island? Were we traversing under the waves after all? How did we reach this in hours instead of days? There must have been powerful magic involved here. This changes everything. I had thought we would find something to help us, not take us directly to the island!

His Majesty came up behind me. The light from the candle flickered across his shocked and confused features. "Are we...?" He asked.

I knew what his question was. "I believe so." I answered.

"Then the palace, it should be here somewhere?"

"In broad daylight, we should be able to find it easily. But we're both tired and we stayed up long enough as it is. Should we rest here for tonight and continue in the morning?"

As if he was released from a long day's work, the prince sighed and sat on the hard, mostly dust and rock, ground. "Fine with me. See you in the morning then."

Without giving a reply, I unstrapped my sword and shield and lied down on the ground. The rock was cool and uncomfortable, but I quickly fell asleep regardless.

* * *

I woke up tired, exhausted, and sore, but the thought of fighting the next guardian raised me to my feet. His Highness, like always, was already up and strapping on his equipment. "Are you ready?" He asked, glancing at me as I stretched. "I'm thinking we'll take this road further down the cliffs. We might be able to see the palace from over there."

Once again, back when he first joined me, I would have attacked him saying this was _my_ quest. But this no longer seemed to bother me. The longer he helped on this journey, the more I appreciated his effort and companionship. If only he wasn't so stubborn all the time... True, he is a prince out of his own castle, and I suppose, he hasn't been arguing as much as he had when he joined?

He waited patiently for me to gather my sword and shield before trailing down the only slope forward that didn't drop in the ocean. Once I was ready, I followed closely behind him. Now with the sun up, the land surrounding us looked a lot different than it did last night. Even with the candle out, most of the land was a dark silhouette. Now I can see all the little pebbles mingling with the dust. The spires blocking the island all around were more intimidating and close in the light. There was little shade from the sun here. The only green I saw here, beyond a few patches of dry grass and palm trees further down in the distance, was a few scattered cacti.

Last night, I knew there, in the center of the island, was a tall, rough cliff towering over the rest of the island. But I wasn't really paying attention to it. Now in the light, I saw just how rough it was. There were a few flat surfaces where more cacti grew, but the rest of it was jagged, and the tip was sharp. Sharp enough to pierce the sky, no room remained for anything to rest up there. So where was the palace?

We walked down the path until it met with the sea. Beach sand joined the rock with the ocean, and palm trees leaned towards the water. This is where the path turned north, and as we turned out heads, there was the palace.

It was old, and weather worn like it was sanded down and smoothed. It looked like it was once a solid white temple, but the years, location, and lack of care made it yellowed and chipped. The pillars standing in front of the door were falling over, and a few of the walls had gaping holes in them. From here, it looked deserted. Nothing moved past the missing chunks of the walls, but I knew that the temple was alive with many types of monsters.

But what type of monsters awaited us? Even more important, I wondered who the guardian here is this time? I will have to make my way through the palace and find out.


	24. The Broken Temple

**Chapter 24**

 **The Broken Temple**

The Island Palace was falling apart, so much so, I prayed to the goddesses that the elevator will still work. I climbed up the patio, expecting it to crumble under my feet, but it held firm. But the odd thing about this was the ironknuckle statues. They, in contrast to the palace, were standing straight and were perfectly intact. Something about that made me feel like they were watching me. I gave the statues a final glance back to make sure they stayed as they were and approached the elevator.

But His Majesty hesitated, and it then occurred to me that this is the first palace he's seen so far. "So what do we do now?" He asked.

"Trust me. This platform will take us into the palace, and once inside, we'll have to search the rooms for a key to the guardian."

"It sounds dangerous to go through the front door. Wouldn't it be safer for us to find a different way in?"

I shook my head. "Once in the palace, we'll have to play along and take risks. Out here, we must try to stay as safe as possible, but if we bring that same attitude in the palace, we'll go nowhere."

"All right, you take the lead on this one." He sincerely stated. "You've obviously been through this many times before."

I was shocked by his choice to let me lead, but it was a wise choice, perhaps we're becoming more of a team after all? But I accepted his decision without a word and moved once more to the elevator.

He joined me, and as soon as he was on, the elevator began to move. I don't think he was prepared for it, because he stumbled suddenly and fell to his knees. A laugh slipped from my lips and the prince climbed back up, holding onto the side pillar for support. He flashed me a frown, but his face was starting to glow pink. "Don't laugh. I'm sure that happened to you the first time!"

I shook my head, not bothering to reply, but trying to stifle the rest of my laughter. I focused instead on the ride down into the palace. All around us, swirling lines etched into the stone flew by us. Making the lines look like they were waving and curling down with us. Because the elevator was old and also chipped, it didn't slide easily downward, and it was leaned against the wall, making it shake with slight vibration.

Beyond the sound of it grinding against rock, I thought I heard another sound. This one sounded like a light shuffling, like sand falling down an hourglass. But where was it coming from?

Suddenly, the elevator crashed into something, and it was my turn to stumble and fall down on my chest. My companion, who was still hanging on, remained upright. I heard him chuckle and he kicked at my boot. "See what I mean? Even you, the perfect hero, couldn't see that coming."

But I didn't reply, my concerns were elsewhere. Why did it stop? We weren't all the way to the floor yet, but we were close. Close enough that, from my view on the floor, I can see into the first room, and then the sight struck me. Tons and tons of sand had filled the room almost completely to the ceiling!

It looked like this was once a long hallway, but now, the sand was all I could make out of the room. I felt sick to my stomach. I could only pray to the goddesses that there were no unaccessible doors now because of this. What if we couldn't reach the guardian now? What if everything we needed here was buried?

There was no turning back, we just had to salvage what we can. But still, I found myself unable to grasp any hope. One missed tool, one missed battle, and we wouldn't have what we needed to find the Triforce. Could it be that the passage of time was the one thing to stop the Triforce from ever being completed again?

I crawled forward, leaving the elevator and lying on the mound of sand. I looked back and saw the boots of His Highness. I was fixing to call him to follow me, but he was already dropping to his hands. Turning ahead again, I continued to crawl forward. The space was tight, with my head just inches from the ceiling of the room. And crawling forward quickly became very difficult. The sand was hard enough to crawl through without the uneven dunes.

But it slowly evened out, and it took me a moment to notice the roaring of rolling sand becoming louder. It wasn't even a minute after that when I saw some of the grains were rolling down a hill just in front of me. I crawled just a little further and peered over the edge.

There was a massive hole in the floor, bringing in all the sand around it like a hungry mouth! The roar from here was deafening, and the hole was dark, I couldn't see where the sand was going. I didn't want to find out.

The hole was too big, it would be impossible to crawl around it. Here was the first risk of the palace. I will have to leap across it. Sending a quick prayer to the goddesses that I wouldn't end up falling down that hole, I crept closer.

I was carried with the sand slowly at first, and as I was shifting down, I found enough room to stand up. But as the shift quickened, I was forced into tumbling! This was bad, if I couldn't right myself in time, I wouldn't be able to cross the pit without falling in! I tried everything in my power to stop, or at least slow down a little, but I was tumbling uncontrollably.

If I can even find something to grasp to, but there was nothing except for the rolling sand. Instead, I had to turn my focus on sinking my feet underneath me. Still falling, I adjusted my center weight and dug my heels in the sand. The sand rejected the move, but I desperately fought back. It worked, not only did I find my balance again, but I had slowed down as well.

Now that I was able to see how much closer I was to the center of the pit, I realized that I was almost out of time. Hesitating at the sight only slightly, I pulled back and sprang forward! The sand, of course, wasn't a good ground to push off of, and I felt like most of my strength was sucked in by it, but I had successfully flown over the pit. My chest hit against the rolling sand on the opposite side, and I instantly had to scramble to pull myself up on the safe side of the dune.

My heart was pounding, and I fought for every breath, but I made it. Luckily when I leapt, I landed close enough to the top on the other side, or I would be tumbling yet again. But the trial wasn't over yet. I saw my companion, the prince, creeping up to the edge of the last dune. He glared down into the pit, his eyes growing wide.

I wasn't sure what he was thinking, and he seemed to freeze for a moment. But I knew he wouldn't cower in the face of fear. Finally, his gaze shifted and landed on me. I gestured for him to come along, and kneeled down, ready to try and catch him if I needed to.

He peered over the end again, shook his head, and brought his feet in front of him. As soon as he left onto the slide, he tumbled over. But I only saw him do it twice before he used the momentum to bury in the sand and slow down.

I could almost see his muscles tense as he slid closer and closer to the hole. He bided his time until the last second when he pushed off. His jump didn't have a lot of power, but he was far enough that he crossed the pit, but almost too low for me to reach him, almost. He clawed up for safety, and I dropped a hand to help. He stretched and grasped on, and once more, I buried my heels in the sand and pulled my whole body back.

He crawled up on the safe mound, panting and covered in sand from head to toe, making him look light and dusted. "Thanks, Buddy." He breathed and glanced back at the roaring slide. Once he caught his breath, he asked, "I wonder what caused this to happen? Don't you think the sand would have drained already?"

"The only ones here beside us are the monsters patrolling, and they wouldn't have fell for such a trap. It was probably just age making the floor weak."

"I hope you're right."

I nodded, feeling sure of myself. From my stance here, I can barely see into the hole where the sand was retreating. It was dark and quiet. The sand was spilling on top of broken pillars and rocks, soon trapping the room as it was for all eternity. My stomach turned. I really hope there was nothing I needed down there.

The prince brushed off what sand he could. "Shall we continue?"

I swallowed my fear and turned down the hall. There was only a single door at the end of the hallway. I was actually surprised there was a door out of here at all. I was beginning to think we were trapped until all this sand was filtered out completely.

I climbed the single step onto a stone floor and grasped the door handle. Well, that explains why this door is all the way up here. There were steps leading to it. I pushed it open and was thankful when it turned out not to be locked.

But already my heart was sinking when I saw there was sand filling this room as well. There wasn't nearly as much as there was in the last room, but a fine coat covered the floor and more was slowly falling from the ceiling. I heard the sizzling of a fire before I saw the bubbles floating around the room.

The bubbles were a hovering skull, lit by a magical and unknown flame. No one knew how they came to be, but they've been around for many years. The fire seemed to protect them from many attacks. It was best for us to leave them alone if we can.

Right ahead of us on the other side of the room, was a large door on top a few wide steps. I can also see from here the big lock on that door. Will we be able to find the key with the palace like this? The fears kept returning to me.

But His Highness gave me a tap on the shoulder to catch my attention. I glanced over to the left where two of the bubbles were swimming in the air. There was a second, smaller door. The prince led the way, weaving past the skulls. I followed. The bubbles were not very interested in us, and they let us past without intervening.

I held the door open behind the prince and waited for him to move ahead. When I walked in, I saw yet another hallway, but this one was a lot shorter. The first thing I noticed was the elevator against the wall. The end of the hallway was buried under a heavy dune.

That left us with just one choice, the elevator. I walked to it and waited. As soon as His Highness was on, he grasped onto it again like he was going to be thrown like he was the first time. I would have laughed, but I was too anxious thinking about what we will find down here. And I had a good right to be worried. As the elevator entered the small round chamber below, I saw a still form of a doomknocker, standing in the center of the room.

A doomknocker was a living mystery. They were always seen covered head to toe in thick armor, warriors and scholars alike were always curious about what was beneath. These beasts seemed almost human. They had a recognizable form, stood upright, wielded human weapons with intelligence and the like. But at the same time, the senses yelled that too much was off for this thing to be human. Its posture was all wrong, and its large back was too heavy for such slender legs. The front of the helmet also stuck out too much to be normal.

At first, he seemed to be standing too still to be alive, but I just knew he was waiting for an opponent to come along. The round room was like a tiny battlefield, there was nothing else extraordinary about it, save for the four thick pillars supporting the ceiling in each end of the room.

As soon as the elevator stopped and we stepped off, the doomknocker slowly turned his head. He had no shield, and the only weapon he carried was a tiny dark mace. His weapon choice was ludicrous compared to his heavy armor. What was even more ridiculous about the mace was the handle, it looked like it was almost impossible to hold on to! But the doomknocker held the weapon confidently. He clearly knew something we didn't, we must be careful.

I brought out my sword and shield and approached him, and His Majesty came in from the other side. The doomknocker didn't seem to care, he held his mace before him like he was showing me invisible power, and teased me to strike first. I accepted his request.

I was first going to strike low, and then break and pull it up high, but the doomknocker ducked out of the first one and backed up on the second. Then I saw the prince go for a stab, but the monster was not stopping backing up away from us. When he did stop, he grasped the mace tighter and brought it to the side like he was ready to throw it. He aimed for the prince and released!

I held my breath, but luckily, His Majesty saw it coming and ducked down underneath the flying weapon. "Ha HA! Now you're defenseless!" He cried as he came back up.

But he spoke to soon.

The mace that whirled over his head not only kept flying straight, but turned towards me! I quickly dodged out of the way and watched as it sailed back to its master like a boomerang. So that's its secret! This is going to be a tough battle after all.

In the short amount of time it took the doomknocker to recover, I casted "Shield". Without hesitating, the monster let go of the mace again, but this time, it sailed for me first. No matter, I quickly came up with a plan. As it neared closer, I dived down under it, rolled over the floor, and came up with my sword in hand. I held it level and sweeped it horizontally into the doomknocker's shoulder. He cried a deep, distorted grunt and nearly tumbled backwards. He managed to stay on his feet, but he couldn't recover quickly enough to catch the weapon flying back for us. Instead, he ducked back down, avoiding it altogether.

But I had no time to react. I just turned my head and saw the mace flying for me. Before I even knew it happened, it fell against my chest, sending me back. I was on the verge of tripping until I slammed against a post behind me. Then I fell to the sand covered floor. The mace that struck me was lying on the ground just a few feet away. I thought about grabbing it before the doomknocker could, but the wind was taken right out of me. For a while, I didn't even notice His Majesty, rushing to attack him while he still had the chance.

Finally, my blurred vision was becoming clear again. I saw the prince score a few good hits before the doomknocker dodged past him and went to pick up his mace. I tried to respond first, but he was still to quick for me. My chest felt stiff and painful with the movement, and I looked down to see how bad it was. If it wasn't for the shield spell I had casted, I would be in a lot of trouble. But thankfully, the tears in my tunic revealed nothing but a few bleeding scratches.

I pushed my weight against the column and tried to stand. I felt dizzy, and I fought just to find balance. If it wasn't for His Highness keeping the doomknocker on his toes, I wouldn't have had a chance to recover. But now, I was on my feet again! It seemed, however, that I had caught the doomknocker's attention, because he turned and threw the mace towards me this time. I was still clumsy, and instead of trying to avoid the attack, I stumbled back, grasped the pillar, and took cover behind it. The mace had a lot of power in it when it was thrown, and I felt it crash into the pillar. Either it then dropped to the floor again, or it bounced back prematurely to its master. I couldn't see from back behind the pillar.

I knew the mace did some serious damage to the post however, because it continued to crack until I felt it shift slightly. I already knew what was going to happen next just a second before it did. The support pillar gave out completely and dropped towards where the battle was taking place. Somehow, it missed both my companion and the enemy and fell on top of the pillar on the opposite side, causing that one to crack. At first, I was expecting that one to break too, but somehow it held up.

Meanwhile, the doomknocker had his mace back and was throwing it at His Majesty without turning around to see I was still there. The prince ducked in time and came up with a pierce strike from his sword. But a rapier was no match against that thick armor!

Before the mace came back again, I rushed up and attacked the doomknocker from behind. He flinched, giving the prince enough time to back away safely. "Link! Are you all right?" He called, spinning past the doomknocker and the mace and joining my side.

"I'm fine. And thanks for covering my back like that." I replied. "If it wasn't for you, I would've been a goner."

"Not a problem." He glanced behind at the toppled pillar as the doomknocker turned back to us with the mace in hand. "Hey, I have an idea! Follow my lead."

I nodded, and just as the monster threw the mace again, I saw the prince duck under the fallen pillar. I copied him as quick as I could and came back up on the other side. The flying mace struck the pillar in-between us and quickly returned to the thrower. The already broken post chipped and crumbled again until it couldn't hold up its own weight any longer. With an earthshaking thud and a shower of sand, the pillar cracked in two and fell flat on the floor.

But it damaged the pillar it was leaning on before that, making that one crumble as well. But this time, the crack ran off from the post and onto the ceiling as well. The column was now the only thing keeping the ceiling from collapsing on this side of the room, and now it was just too old and broken to keep it up. Soon, it too broke in half, and the ceiling quickly followed!

As quick as I was able, I grabbed onto His Highness and backed up until I felt the wall against my back. We did that just in time to avoid the mountain of sand from the top floor piling down onto our opponent, the doomknocker. His deep scream was drowned out under the roaring pile until his voice faded into silence...

The doomknocker was buried, the battle was done. I breathed a sigh of relief, thanking the goddesses above that we were not buried with him.


	25. Tog's Reappearance

**Chapter 25**

 **Tog's Reappearance**

Sand mingled with the air, coating everything with white powder, and flying into our lungs with every breath. My eyes stung, and I began to choke. Even His Majesty gave a few coughs before he stared down at where the doomknocker once stood. "Wow," He exclaimed. "Do you think he's still conscious down there?"

I had just started to keep my coughing in control, and I cleared my throat before replying. "Most likely not." But the prince seemed to ignore my response. He held onto his sword tighter, and lightly kicked the dune like he was expecting the doomknocker to explode right out of it. But seconds turned into minutes, and still nothing happened. His Highness, now satisfied the battle was done, sheathed his weapon and turned his back.

There, he stood before the last important thing in the room, the lever. I stared back, first at the switch, then to His Highness. His stubbornness came to mind. Most likely, he won't allow me to pull it, and I was in no mood to fight. "You know we have to take this risk." I started. "That doomknocker was guarding this for a reason."

"What are you waiting for then?"

Again, shock sailed through me from his response! I didn't even know what to say about that! He nodded knowingly like he saw my reaction. "You already warned me of the risks in this place. True, I'd rather not take them, but I know we have to."

Still, I didn't know how to react. Out of all the years I've known him, he's always been so stubborn! Now all of a sudden, for the last few days, he's been following my lead without one question or remark! He's changed, I wonder why?

"Well, are you going to pull that lever or not?"

"Um, of course." I answered, dropping my train of thought. I reached over and grasped the handle. "Are you ready?" I asked. He gestured hurriedly, like he's been waiting this whole time. So, without wasting another second, I pulled it down. It was heavy and fell with a loud clank. I held my breath.

Then the earthquake followed.

It felt like the entire building was collapsing, but there was no way we would be able to leave in time! I fell back against the wall, before losing my footing and falling down. I saw the prince tripped forward, reaching for anything stable, his eyes wide with horror. There was nothing more that I could do than to pray for the goddesses to stop the ceiling from crashing down on our heads.

But just as quick as it started, it stopped. What happened? What was the point of that? It was like it never even happened. My heart was still continuing to race, but somehow, the palace was still intact. The two last standing pillars however were affected, and as soon as the quaking stopped, one of them toppled and fell against the nearest wall.

"What was that?" The prince breathed, leaning heavily on the wall next to me.

I had no answer to that question. Was the lever doing that? Or was that just a weird coincidence? I shrugged and pushed off the wall, trying to stand back up. But it felt like the earthquake kept my body shaking and it was hard to stand still. But I was determined not to fall again. Finally, I spoke. "I don't know, but we should continue on before the ceiling collapses further."

"Agreed." Once more, he made a hopeless attempt to brush off the sand coating him and waited for me to take the lead. I nodded and tried not to look like a swaying fool as I walked for the elevator.

I stepped atop it and casted "life" to heal the wounds from the battle. At the same time, the prince joined me on the platform and it began to move at once. He stood straight, staring ahead but casting me a single glance. "Are you all right?" He asked.

"I'm fine." I answered. "Just taking a minute to heal myself for the next fight."

He blinked and said nothing more. For a long time, we stood in silence and waited for the elevator to take us back to the floor above. The elevator itself was silent, but the edged scraped past sand covered walls, making a soft grating sound.

But finally, he spoke again. "You frightened me. When the mace struck you, I thought you were seriously injured."

I couldn't help but chuckle at his honesty. "No, I would have been if I didn't cast 'shield' before that."

But he kept his seriousness. "I know, and I'm glad the spell protected you from that. But, I suppose it's instinct, I just saw you were hit, and I feared the worst."

Then the thought struck me, just like that. For many years, I traveled alone, protecting myself and fearing few enemies. It never occurred to me how many times I was really in danger. In this battle, I had one of those encounters, but something about it was different. This time, I knew how close I was. This time, I wasn't invincible. And this time, I was thankful for Zelda's brother being there. This whole time, I've been envious of his abilities, and I denied it by trying to show off my best skills. But here, I couldn't deny he saved my life. "You did the best you could." I replied. "And back there, that meant keeping the doomknocker off me. I really can't thank you enough for that."

"Not a problem. I'm just relieved you weren't really hurt." He scoffed. "Just try to be more careful next time."

I was thinking to argue that I was always careful, but I knew that not to be all true. "I'll try." I answered instead.

Once the elevator stopped again at the top in the hallway, I saw that the pile of sand at the end, now collapsed in the room below, was indeed blocking a door. Luckily, we will be able to explore it now, but this also meant that there's a good possibility of more hidden doors in this palace.

I was just about to find footing to safely cross the broken floor to the door just a few feet away when the prince shoved an elbow in me. I froze and looked to him, he pointed up above the door. I followed his gaze. There in the ceiling was what looked like a trap door. It was already open, revealing nothing now, but I'm sure I knew what it held. The sand blocking this door was a trap? But who triggered it? The sand was there from the beginning we stepped in this room.

"I know you said the protectors won't fall for their own traps, but something here did." The prince said, thinking the same thing I was. "Whatever it was, there's a chance it's trapped in that room. We need to enter with caution."

I agreed and focused again on crossing the hole in the floor. As I neared the door, I unsheathed my sword quietly. His Highness did the same, and I reached for the door knob. The door creaked slowly open, and I peered in with my sword up by my side. The lone moblin stood at the end of the room, holding a short spear horizontally in front of him. He stared at the door like he was expecting a fight, but as soon as he saw us, his expression softened and he sighed. It was Tog!

"Tog? What are you doing here?" I exclaimed, breaking in with a smile and sliding my sword away.

He laughed, still stunned. "I'm so glad you two are here! I've been stuck in this room for hours! I tripped on that," He took his spear and pointed it at our feet, where a snapped tripwire lie. "when I came in. After that, I heard the sand outside, and then I couldn't move the door! I thought I'd be stuck here for days!"

"You didn't answer Link's question." His Majesty said, sliding into the room from behind me. He sounded more suspicious than friendly. "Why are you here? How did you find this place when the island is impossible to reach?"

Either Tog didn't know where to start, or he took the hint of hostility in the prince's voice. "Like I said in our last meeting, you guys are almost constantly being watched. They know of all the palaces Link's been in so far. Once I learned you two were heading for Mido, it occurred to me what you were doing. I knew you were trying to reach the island. It was easy to reach the town first, then I had to find where that grave was. That wasn't so easy, it took me all night."

"How did you know it was a grave?" The prince continued to interrogate. "We had to find secrets and clues by talking with the townsfolk. That's something you would have been unable to do! You will be chased out if they saw a moblin in town!" He approached Tog and held his sword before him. "You're lying. I'd bet you knew where this was all along! I think you even know where that troublesome group of moblins is too."

I could barely move past my shock from his response. "Your Highness, please don't do this! Tog is my friend." I begged.

Then Tog answered. "No one's seen them since that rock slide blocking Mido! I swear I'm telling the truth! And I didn't have to go into town, I did know the entrance was a grave. After all these years since the palaces existed, you don't think the monsters of Hyrule would have found that entrance by now? They storm and pillage and came by that grave by accident a long time ago. I just didn't know which one it was!"

Saying nothing, the prince slid the rapier back in its sheath, but he still held that untrusting gaze. Once the sword was away and he gave the moblin some space, he spoke again. "Very well, but here's my second question; why are you here?"

"I figured you two might need me here." Tog answered honestly, chuckling. "Once I knew what you were up to, I wanted to help."

That's why it looked like someone's been setting off traps! Like when we came in and had to cross the hole in the floor, sucking up all the sand. Tog came this way before us. "You already helped us enough." His Highness called, still unconvinced he could trust the moblin. "You didn't have to come here." With that, he broke his stare from Tog and glanced quickly over the room. This room, unlike any we have seen here so far, was very small and tight. It felt more like a prisoner's cell than a palace chamber. Maybe it is a cell, after all, once the trap outside has been triggered, the sand stops anyone from leaving here. "There's nothing here." His Majesty concluded, turning back to the door. " Let's go."

"Wait, there is something I've found." Tog called, making the prince spin back around. Tog stepped closer to the center of the room, and rested his foot on a near invisible pressure plate. I immediately tensed, but he knew what he was doing. A loud shuffle of stone and sand made me jump and caught my attention to the far wall to the right. A piece of the wall shook, then slid back, revealing a small box in the crevice. "No matter what I tried, I just couldn't reach that box. Because as soon as I leave this plate, the wall will slide back."

I was already making my way over there before he finished speaking. I picked the key from the small chest and placed it safely in my pouch. When I turned back to the prince and moblin, they were quiet. Neither of them have said a thing since I turned and went for the chest. They watched to see what was in it, but I could tell they were intentionally avoiding eye contact from each other. I sighed inwardly. It'll be very difficult for these two to work together when there's so much lack of trust, now on both sides if the moblin's going to echo the prince's resentment. But who am I kidding? I struggled with the same problems when His Highness wanted to join. Still, I didn't understand why the prince reacted to Tog the way he did. He knew I trusted Tog, I explained to him already how he helped me six years ago, and Tog even saved his life from the moblins who held him captive just a few weeks before.

I tried to show no sign of the discomfort in the air when I spoke next. "We could always use more help, Tog. You're welcome to join us."

With his eyes shining once more, he nodded his thanks and marched ahead for the door. I heard the prince scoff when he passed before he picked up his feet and followed. But I came up beside him and stopped. "Hey, what's the matter?" I asked him in hushed tones to not alarm Tog. "Why do you seem so aggressive to Tog? He has given you no reason to despise him."

He answered with a scowl. "He's a moblin, and nothing good has ever come from those creatures. They make up most of Ganon's army! Has it ever occurred to you that he's just trying to raise your trust before he leads us into a trap?" He poked a finger in my chest. "He just wants to use you to revive his long dead master!"

But I wasn't going to back down. "No. If that was the case, why did he help me those six years ago? He risked his life back then! What do you think his kin will do to him if they knew of his treachery? And Ganon was still living in that time, so he has no motive to trick me."

But the prince, ever so stubborn, shook his head. "No matter what you say, I won't be fooled. I know the nature of moblins. They're selfish creatures who do nothing but pillage and hurt people."

I was about to object once again, but Tog called from ahead and interrupted me. "Are you two coming or not?"

Letting my last train of thought go, I took a step forward, ready to drop the conversation and pretend I didn't hear any of it. But His Highness grasped onto my arm, making me face him once more. "I only pray for you to be careful and prepared if Tog turns on you." He said, just above a whisper. This time, he sounded different. He spoke with seriousness instead of the bitter anger he used just a moment ago, and I thought I saw a flicker of fear in his eyes.

Maybe one day he'll see Tog's honesty? I can't be sure if he ever will.

One thing's for sure though, I wasn't going to stand there and make that be today. I left His Highness behind and jogged ahead, trying to catch up with the leading moblin. He was already past the holes the sand fell through, facing us with his arms crossed. His spear was leaning between them and his chest, like he was hugging it. "What's keeping you? We've got a guardian to find!" Not waiting for a response, he turned once I caught up and marched down the hall. His hastiness betrayed disappointment, and I couldn't say I blamed him.


	26. A Hero, A Noble, and the Moblin

**Chapter 26**

 **A Hero, a Noble, and the Moblin**

Tog went ahead, opening the door back to the room with the bubbles. He held the door open behind him as we followed him into the room. Once we were by his side, he again brought up his spear and pointed past the bubbles to the other side of the room. There was a door back there that I must have missed the first time we were here.

"I've already been in there." Tog explained. "I didn't find much out of the ordinary except for a lever. It was just like the one you two found."

"It caused another earthquake?" I asked.

He nodded. But His Highness looked away, obviously not believing it. I wondered if he was thinking about checking that room anyway. A chuckle from Tog snapped my attention off the prince. "That second earthquake frightened me, but I quickly figured that it must have meant you two caught up!"

"All right," I replied. "Since there's nothing more to check here, let's go on up to the big door and see if the key fits in it." I walked ahead, moving past the bubbles carefully and taking the key from my pouch. The other two joined me at the staircase, and I slid the key to unlock the door. It accepted the key, and I braced my muscles against it, pushing it open. The sight on the other side shocked me and my breath was stolen.

The thickest tree I've ever seen was standing tall right in the center of the chamber. The room it grew in traveled up and up several stories high, and the tree was almost taller than that. It had plenty of space though, the ceiling was even carved out completely, showing the blue, midday sky. The tree was bare of leaves however, and it looked like it had been that way for a long time. The branches were thick, heavy and wide. The room itself was circular, and now studying the walls, I saw doors on every level, but there were no floors underneath them, nothing at all to put your foot down in front of them.

The only thing that suggested to me that the doors could be reached at all were the branches. Now the limbs higher up were pointed upwards and away from the doors, but I saw the lowest two branches were different. They were snapped at the body of the tree, lowering them down so they made a platform for a door each.

As we approached the first branch, that was so low it almost touched the ground, I could see that the tree wasn't just planned to be here for the doors, but that it was part of the puzzle. Footholds were carved into the bark, allowing an easier way to climb up. There was also what looked like heavy plates of iron buried in the tree underneath each branch. Perhaps keeping the branch in its place if they broke off. After all, these two were broken, and if they weren't, they would be like the other branches, making the doors impossible to reach.

The tree was as tall as a castle! And as we approached the first branch, I couldn't even see the top! "This is the biggest tree I've ever seen in my life!" I cried out, overwhelmed.

"I know, I can't even believe something like this exists." His Majesty replied.

Tog was already standing with his hand on the bark, ready to climb up. I followed behind him, and as I grasped onto the strong bark, I began to wonder what more the builders did to this tree. It must have been magically preserved, because it's been here for maybe thousands of years in this dry environment with little evidence that it ever held leaves. And the bark was just as strong and firm like a healthy tree in the forest. I don't think there's a chance I'll ever learn the truth.

Tog reached down and helped pull me up, and then I was shocked a second time how wide these branches were! The three of us will be able to walk side by side comfortably most of the way down to the tip. I turned around and helped the prince climbing up behind me. Tog was already starting for the door at the end.

Once the prince was on his feet, I followed the moblin. He waited for us to come close before he slowly pushed the door open. The frame scrapped a carpet of sand as it went past before it revealed a room that was no bigger than a closet, and no lighter than one. Darkness grabbed at the corners despite the sun shining through the room. "What's the point in this?!" Tog yelled, dumbfounded.

And here it was, my worst fear since we arrived; an inaccessible room. "I'd hate to say this, but it looks like the sand filled up whatever's down there..."

"It's not completely filled." His Majesty remarked, pointing down at the floor. He was right, there was a small hole in the wall, barely big enough for a person to crawl through. I couldn't even see it at first because it was so dark in there, but it looked like it was once an archway leading to another part of the room.

I was the first to kneel down and crawl through it. It quickly became very difficult to keep moving as the sand kept shifting forward, burying me in place. But I wasn't giving up, it would be too late to by now that I knew my companions were following behind me. The sand was making this tight, and for a moment, I thought I would become stuck here. But with enough fight, I kept moving somehow.

I could see the opening in front of me, all it took was patience to reach it! But finally, I pulled myself from the hole and stood up. I moved away from the entrance so my companions had room to follow. There wasn't a shortage of sand here either, and I felt like the domed ceiling was too close, like I was standing miles above the true floor. But with a closer look throughout the room, I did indeed spot a stone floor. It was past a few iron bars supporting a treasure chest at the far side of the wall. How can we reach that? I wondered.

I heard Tog grunt as he crawled out next, struggling to stand back up. I reached down and helped him up. "Sorry," He apologized to the prince as he emerged next. "That was extremely hard to crawl through with my spear. I should have gone last. I didn't hit you, did I?"

"No," He responded when I then helped him up. "But where did you get that thing? You were using a dagger the last time we met."

"Last time we met, I was going for stealth and secrecy. I figured I had a different focus this time. And-" He reached down at his hip, where he pulled the dagger singing from its sheath. "I still have the dagger with me."

The prince shrugged, like that either made no sense still, or he no longer cared. "So what do we do now?" He asked.

"We have to reach that chest." I answered.

"And how do we do that?" The prince asked again, taking a few steps closer for it.

But then, as I turned back to Tog, there was a sorceress in long yellow robes standing behind him, flailing her wrinkled arms as she worked on casting a spell. "Watch out!" I cried.

Just in time, as soon as Tog turned his head, she had summoned a sphere of fire in her hands. I was already reaching for him and trying to leap for safety, but Tog was already moving without my help. I could hear the sudden roar of soaring flame behind me. I didn't know how close we were to it, but I was startled when the heat reached my skin quickly after that.

Once I recovered and turned back around, the witch was gone. "This isn't the end." Said Tog. "Those magos... They always want you to think the ambush is over."

"Quick! We need to prepare in case she comes back!" I yelled.

His Highness reacted immediately and fell back to us, unsheathing his sword. I straightened and did the same. Then the three of us met in a circle with our backs against each other and waited. Like Tog predicted, the witch known as a mago reappeared.

But this time she didn't come alone.

Surrounding our defense circle, I counted up to five magos, and all of them were casting spells. I brought up my sword as quick as my reflexes allowed me and pointed it to the witch right in front of me. She couldn't respond quick enough as glowing beams shot her straight on, and she shrieked in pain before disappearing in a cloud of smoke.

A lot of the other magos flinched, like they had thought we were defenseless with them surrounding us, and that was enough to break their chanting. Out of the corner of my vision, I was aware of both the prince and the moblin leaving my side, charging to fight back the witches before they too will disappear.

I decided to follow their lead, and charged for the nearest mago, but my surprise attack was too late by now. She saw me coming and vanished before I could come close. I spun around, feeling worried the magos would take advantage of their invisibility and appear again behind me.

I saw Tog was still facing his mago in close combat. He swung his body to the side, just barely dodging an outburst of powder like embers the mago threw at him. Then, he countered it by swinging the spear down, crushing and scraping her outstretched arm. His Highness had just finished his fight. He had stabbed his opponent and left her falling to the ground as he then rushed to Tog's side. But as soon as he joined the moblin and brought his sword up, the mago was already gone in a cloud of smoke.

I turned around, feeling vulnerable. And it was a good thing I did, because there was already a mago right behind me. She wore a mask resembling something like a skull, so I couldn't see her expressions, but her eyes smiled with evil intent. I flinched, thinking to attack, but she was done casting her spell. Instead, I tried to do the next best thing and defend myself with my shield.

I just barely brought it up in time! The force of the flame alone was strong enough to threaten pushing me down, but I stood ground long enough for the fire to run out. The mago made a scoffing sound, like she was growing frustrated with the battle, but then her gaze shifted to the side and her attitude changed. She even laughed heartily before she disappeared. What was that about?

I then turned and saw what pleased her so much. Further back, there was another mago facing towards me. And she was just seconds away from releasing her spell!

"Hey, Witch!" I heard Tog cry, then I saw him, charging towards her back with his spear lowered at his torso. The mago was forced to drop the spell and face him. Taking the interruption as an opportunity, I ran my sword down her back.

"Thanks." I breathed. Tog nodded before turning to help the prince. I took a second to examine the battlefield. Looks like they had managed to take a mago down when I wasn't watching. That means there should be only two of them left.

And sure enough, as we waited around for them to show their faces again, they teamed up on either side of me and His Highness. Since there were only two now, I suppose they thought they no longer had the time and distractions to cast their spells effectively, because as soon as they appeared, they jumped forward and showered that ember like powder.

I wasn't ready for that kind of attack, and only my reflexes saved me from serious injury. I ducked and held up my shield, letting the powder hit and bounce harmlessly off. Well, most of it anyway. I felt something burning on that upperarm, but I ignored it as I took my only chance to attack. I shot forward with my sword arm, but that burning was quickly growing hotter, and my swing was shaky. My sword sliced the edge of her left hip, and she vanished soon after, screaming.

The ember powder brought out a small flame smoldering on my arm, and I hastened to put it out. Already, she teleported away. I rushed in to help the prince with the remaining witch and in the corner of my eye, I saw Tog hurrying to do the same.

But the other mago reappeared before him and showered the embers over his head before he could react. At once, it burst into a hot flame!

With the prince running his sword through his opponent's stomach, I turned to help Tog. But his attacker appeared again in front of me. I dodged the embers and thought for a moment of trying to move around her, but she wouldn't allow it.

"Go!" I yelled to the prince who was running for the scene. "Help him!" But he was already rushing to do so. Despite their distrust for each other, I'm glad they were still watching out for our backs.

The mago in front of me tried to use the distraction to shower more powder, but I wasn't nearly as distracted as she thought I was. I took my shield and shoved it into her shoulder before the embers even settled. As I retracted, small fires were already lighting her robes. She panicked and batted at them, leaving her defenses open for me to strike a gash near her collarbone.

The prince and Tog have already managed to put most of the fire out by the time I came. The moblin was covered in black ash and had a few burns about his body, but they weren't too serious. He was still lying on his side with his eyes shut with stress and pain.

"How is he?" I asked the prince crouching over him.

Tog opened his wide brown eyes slowly and looked up at the sound of my voice. They seemed to glow against his now darkened skin, and his mouth twisted into what would have been a warm smile if his face wasn't still contorted in pain. "It burns more than a hellhound's bite." He groaned. "Agh! I should have seen that one coming."

I took out my water skin and gently poured it over the worst of the burns. "That mago caught him pretty good." His Majesty remarked. "But it could have been a lot worse. Will you be able to continue?"

"We'll see," I answered before Tog had the chance. "Can you stand first?"

He nodded and reached with large blue hands for support. He stood up with stiffness in his posture and his face showed pain again. I didn't like the look of it, but I tried to remain hopeful. "What do you think?"

His grip on my arms lessoned. "I'll try my best."

"Good," His Highness continued. "Because we don't have much of a choice, we won't be able to leave the way we came in."

"All right, we'll continue." I finished. "But if you need to stop, we can leave you somewhere safe and come back for you when we've cleared the guardian."

"Thanks, but I don't think that'll be necessary." He was strong willed, I just hope I can see past his defenses if he really needs help later.

As he released me and staggered back on his own, I now noticed the bars to the chest were down. His Highness, first following my gaze, nodded and left for it.

The chest, in the end, turned out to be nothing important at all. The prince had scavenged through all the rupees in dying hopes that we didn't do all that for nothing. But sometimes the temples can lead me to such treacherous dead-ends without my knowing it until later. It's frustrating, I had told the prince, as well as myself, to calm him down. The only thing we can do is to shrug it off and try a different path. But hopefully the next one will hold something more useful, I thought silently as we were splitting the money between us, because other than digging for those rooms in the sand, I'm not even sure if we have what we need to reach the guardian.


	27. Teamwork Through Understanding

**Chapter 27**

 **Teamwork Through Understanding**

When we came out on the gigantic tree again, we marched down the branch where the footholds were etched in the trunk. They stretched only a little higher up and to the opposite side, where the branch led to another door.

With His Highness now taking the lead, I slowed, allowing Tog, with his spear now on his back, to go ahead in front of me so I could watch him. But he never once complained about those burns again. The only evidence I had that it still bothered him was how carefully he moved while climbing the bark, like he didn't want the rough surface meeting the worst of his burns. Once he was close enough to the other side, I followed.

His Majesty was already at the door, waiting for us to catch up. This time, when he swung the door open, the room was not up to the ceiling with sand. Instead, the floor was made of a thick brown stone inscribed with old runes and symbols I didn't even bother to try and read.

There was not much to see here. The only odd thing I saw was a pressure plate in the center of the room. It didn't look like it would be a trap, it was too obvious sitting in the middle of an empty room. The plate was a dark grey color, they didn't even bother to hide it in the brown floor.

While the other two examined the walls and runes, I headed for the plate on the floor. I called a warning for the others to stay aware and I activated the switch. After a click, the wall straight ahead rolled back, revealing narrow passages. But, of course, there's always a catch. As soon as the plate is released, the wall slides back into place.

"Someone has to stay here." His Highness spoke aloud.

And at once, Tog reacted, stepping towards the switch. "Then let it be me. After my injury, I'm the best one to leave behind."

"Fine," I replied. "But we're not leaving anyone behind. We'll be back for you."

The pathways were always twisting, narrow, and long, and after a while of squeezing between claustrophobic walls, we came upon a widened room. The first thing I saw was the ropes. Their scales were vibrant in color, standing out from all the brown. These were vicious snakes, and were often more hostile than not.

The next thing I noticed was the chest sitting in the far end of the room. This was the challenge? A room filled with ropes was hardly what I would call a challenge. But if my mind wasn't so distracted with the sight of the brightly colored robes and the thought of treasure at the end, I would have paid more attention to the bones lying on the floor.

Instead I ran in, slicing at all the snakes that came near. My companion, the prince, also launched himself in the battle. The ropes rushed in without hesitation, hissing and spitting, and I used my sword to sweep them back. But when more replaced them, I backed up. And that's when I heard His Highness yell for me to stay away from the bones on the floor.

But is was too late.

The next thing I knew, I heard rattling, and then bony arms reached over and squeezed around my neck! I was shocked, I didn't even realize that I dropped my sword until it was too late. Then, because I could no longer move or defend myself, the ropes took advantage and slithered up my body where they wrapped around me and also squeezed.

Thank the Goddesses the prince was right here with me, or I would have been killed right here. He leapt over, grabbing my sword, fighting, and chasing back the snakes in front of me before reaching the stalfos choking me. I couldn't see what was happening from my angle, but the stalfos let go of me, and the ropes quickly followed. I instantly fell over, gasping and trying to recover my senses. Past my head spinning from lack of air, I was only slightly aware of the prince battling the stalfos.

Come on, you have to get up on your feet and fight! I thought before pushing off the floor. I staggered for just a moment. His Majesty saw me and tossed my sword back, and despite my scattered senses, I caught it. Now with my sword leading, I charged straight ahead and bashed in the skull of the stalfos. The head cracked and the rest of the skeleton fell in a thousand pieces.

And then we cleaned up the ropes. With the two of us, we managed them quickly, and I went to retrieve whatever was in the chest. This time it wasn't money, but a key.

There was nothing else we could do here, so we left back out to the narrow passages. The turns were confusing, and it was hard to remember where we came from. I wondered how big this maze was? One thing's for sure, it was a lot bigger than I thought it was, because we took a wrong turn and ended up at a locked door in the middle of the path.

Unlocking it released more passages ahead. They looked and turned the same, and we even came across an alternate path. In this path, it led to what might have been some sort of storage room. It was wide, like the room with the ropes, but this time, there were no enemies that I could see. The only thing I saw were stacks and piles of pots and crates.

I was stunned! Out of all my journeys through the palaces and dungeons alike, I've never seen a room that suggested a common use like this. Come to think of it, it made me wonder how many creatures here used these rooms for living areas. True, a lot of the monsters in these palaces were undead, but there were also a lot who weren't. And maybe a lot of the monsters we fought didn't even stay in these palaces for long. But it made me think, how many of these creatures slept, ate, or bathed in places like this? For many, this was their home. It would have to be, as many were defenders of the guardian and they knew where all the traps were.

While I was thinking this through, the prince left to investigate. But there was nothing more here. The pots came in many different shapes and sizes, and most of the crates were rotting away. In them, we couldn't find much use save for a handful of rupees. Most of the crates looked like they once carried tools, but now, they were filled with sand, and the old tools were rusted and broken.

With nothing more to do here, we went back to the tight maze. Many more minutes passed until we came to another door, but this one was more like a giant slab of stone blocking the way. The only thing that suggested it could be opened was the three pressure plates on the floor. They looked bigger and heavier than the one outside the maze.

"We're going to need more than just the two of us for this." Stated His Highness. And before I had the chance to reply, he read my thoughts and continued. "One of those pots back in the storage room might do the trick."

"Then let's bring one back and see."

He lead the way, and when we came back to the storage, we picked the heaviest pot we could find, then the both of us dragged it back to the slab. But even once we sat it on the plate, it still wasn't heavy enough to trigger it.

"That's odd, how can we get through?" Spoke the prince.

But I already knew the answer. "We need Tog. I think the pot is heavy enough to take his place, those plate are lighter than these."

He wiped the sweat from his brow and sighed. "I don't want to drag this all the way back, but I suppose if it means we can continue past that door, then fine."

* * *

The pot was indeed heavy enough to take Tog's place, and now, with him beside us, we came back to the slab. When all three plates pressed down, the door fell into a slot in the floor. There were no more passages however, but a dead end, where a lever with the same likeness to the one in the chamber where we fought the doomknocker was in the opposite wall.

I pulled it down, knowing what will happen when I do. And sure enough, the earthquake came back. I held onto the lever tightly, allowing it to be the only thing keeping me up. My companions, however, didn't have anything as solid to hang onto. They danced with the weight of the shaking and leaned up against the wall until, like before, the shaking just stopped.

Then, after recovering lost balance, we searched the maze more to see if we missed anything. But the search was rather uneventful, so we left and went back to the central room with the tree. And behold! One of the branches higher up snapped in the midst of the earthquake, with the end now leading to another door! Interesting, the first two branches were already broken when we found them, but that was because of the two levers we found earlier? Was this the whole point of the earthquakes? This concept is nothing like I've ever seen before.

* * *

"Look, we're so close to the top!" I exclaimed before reaching for the branch that led to the new door. The prince and Tog were still further down, climbing on the footholds.

I turned around, waiting for them to catch up, and it was then when I realized how close we were to the large door near the open sky. That just has to be where the guardian was waiting! And it was the last door we haven't explored yet, besides this one we're checking out next, of course.

When the others made it up the bough, we entered the door at the end and came into another empty chamber. That is, it looked just like the last one, but with no plate in the middle of the floor. But this time, something stood out. There was a loud sound like shifting sand, but I couldn't see the source. Then, I looked up. There was an entrance up the wall and near the ceiling to our left, maybe that's where the sound's coming from.

"Thank the Goddesses," His Highness exclaimed when he saw it. "I was thinking this looked too familiar."

"Does either one of you happen to carry rope?" I asked. But they shook their heads.

"And I usual do too, but this trip was a little more spontaneous." Tog cursed.

Well, this is going to be more difficult. I sighed, no matter, we'll make it work. I casted "Jump" and soared to the ledge, and I even managed a smooth landing this time.

The sound of sand was more deafening up here, and as I tiptoed to the other end of the ledge, I finally found the source. This was a large chamber, filled with quicksand, and just by speculation, I found out what we were supposed to do here. Across the quicksand was another ledge with a lever in the wall. Nothing bridged the gap other than a thin rope, stretching over the quicksand and connecting the ground I was on, to the other side.

What's more, there was a second rope. It was tied expertly in the middle of the first rope, and veered off to yet another piece of floor. This platform was right next to the other one, but a thick wall came between them, making the second rope the only way to reach it. I saw a switch was on the floor. Of course, both of these platforms were closed off by heavy iron cages sitting on top of them. And upon closer inspection, I also spotted another switch in the outside wall of this platform, it was just outside the cage and in front of the end of the tightrope.

This room was simple, it didn't take a lot of thought to know that someone had to press the switch to lift the first cage, and then press that one to lift the other cage. What wasn't simple however, was the danger. After all this time as an adventurer, I'd always thought I wouldn't feel fear towards danger, and for the longest time, I thought that this was true. I was always risking my life over little things and running head first without thinking of the consequences. But I think I was just burying the fear under my reputation as a hero. I think I had it the whole time.

Or, at least, I had it now.

What changed, you might ask. Before, at the beginning of this quest, I would have died before I would admit it. But throughout this, I learned from my companion, the prince of Hyrule. He flashed the hero title often in front of my face, it sounded like he was teasing at first, but I think he truly meant every word. I tried too hard to look like a hero, and I soaked every drop of attention I could draw. I never wanted to be that way. In the end, I'm glad I had his help.

"What do you see?" He called. I barely even heard his voice above the sand.

I turned back to him. He and Tog were standing near the wall, looking up at me expectedly, especially the prince, like he was holding his breath. All of a sudden, I remembered the time I left him behind in that cave. Is that what he was thinking of?

I couldn't blame him, I was wrong to do that. We were a team, and I'm going to try my hardest to play my part. "I'm going to need your help." I called to them, then crouching down and offering my hand. Tog would have been able to reach it if he was more of the prince's height. But His Highness stepped in, kneeling down to lift the moblin up on his shoulders. But Tog was only shorter, in figure however, he was bigger than the prince was, though I was impressed by his effort. He lifted Tog on shaking shoulders that were too slender for this sort of task, and yet, he proved stronger than he looked. Tog was lifted just high enough for me to reach him, and then I learned myself just how heavy this moblin really was.

Once he was up, it was the prince's turn to follow. He waited for me to lower my hand again, then he jumped up and grabbed on. Tog helped me to pull him up, and he brushed himself off and gave me a grateful nod, like he saw the memory in my mind.

"Anyone has a plan?" Tog asked, nearly yelling to speak above the sand. "I see what we have to do, but I'm not sure if we should do it."

"There's no way that tightrope is safe either," The prince agreed. "Having been here for thousands of years. I'm surprised it's still up there."

I wanted to cast "fairy" and just fly over there, but of course, the palace wasn't that simple. Those cages were thick, and the openings were small, most likely too small even for fairies to fly through. "I don't think we have a choice. I think we need to cross the rope."

Cursing, the prince stepped forward, and was stopped by Tog. "I'm assuming the two of you are going to take care of this. What do you want me to do?"

"Stay here," I answered. "I know that'll be hard, but maybe it's for the best. You're still injured, and we'll be fine." I hope, I added silently.

"But it's been better." Tog protested. "It haven't been burning as much." At first, he seemed irritated, but then his gaze fell to the floor and he nodded. "Very well. I'll stay here."

That was a hard place to leave him in, but there was nothing more to help with. I know I wouldn't have backed down without a fight if that was me.

I turned back to His Highness. "You go first, head for the switch on the outside of the second cage, and I'll wait at the other one for it to open, if it can indeed open that simply. Once I make it in though, prepare for another quake." Then, after wishing him safety and luck, he stepped towards the tightrope again and hesitated. Then, he exhaled all the trapped air he was holding in his lungs and took the first step. He was a figure of nobility with grace and balance, walking the rope like he's been doing it all his life. I only wished I felt as confident as he looked.

I sighed inwardly and centered my foot in the, hopefully, strong middle of the rope. Again, they must have preserved this rope, because it felt like it was still tough and fresh after all these years. At least I can stop worrying about it snapping once we make it out to the middle. Once I held the balance on one foot, I brought the other one in front of me.

His Highness was already nearing the center where the second rope was tied. I followed him, trying to look ahead of the rope and tune out the quicksand under it. I was afraid if I were to look down at it, I'd grow dizzy and fall, but I kept my course, for now anyway.

Soon after that, the prince was branching off on the other rope, and I stayed going straight on mine. He reached the button first, and in my peripheral vision, he pressed it and the cage was lifted up to the ceiling. Then, His Highness disappeared around the corner. And when I was just a few feet away from my destination, this cage also lifted up and retreated after the other one. Over the roar of sand, I heard the metal cage rattling against the chain that was pulling it up.

I stepped off the rope and onto solid ground, where the lever was. I grasped it and yelled another warning to the prince on the other side of the wall, although I'm unsure if he even heard me. I gave him a few more seconds, then I pulled the lever.

This was the worst place for an earthquake. I held onto that lever so hard, my hands were numb for days, and I had more room and more to grab onto than what His Highness had. Images of him rolling off the platform without me hearing the sand cover his screams kept running through my mind. It killed me thinking that I wouldn't even know if he's okay or not until we meet on the rope again. I wondered if Tog could see him. With the quake beginning to subside, I glanced across the quicksand and saw a blue tinted figure bouncing with the waves, but I couldn't make out his expression, so I couldn't guess what he was thinking.

When it was safe to move again, I gave it another minute or two, then headed back to the rope. I was still dizzy from the shaking though, but I couldn't wait here forever either. I turned my head, and saw the prince was also walking on his rope again. Thank the Goddesses he survived! Now all we had to do was travel back to Tog safely. Once my head was relatively clear, I situated my feet on the rope.

We made it to the center. The prince was already a few feet in front of me, and so he went ahead. When he did, I slowed down, not just to give him a little more space, but because the room was still shaking in my perspective, trying to balance on a cord did not help that feeling.

Then, I did the worst thing a person on a tightrope could do, I looked down. It was just for a moment, but it was long enough for me to lose my balance. My foot slipped, but I was able to grab the rope as I was falling. The quicksand below my feet just continued to funnel and turn, but I felt like I was just inches away from it. Even though the rope remained strong and didn't seem bothered about my weight, I felt like I was holding onto nothing, that I was just hovering onto twine.

Shortly after that though, I saw the prince look back. His eyes widened with fear, and I saw him call to me, but I couldn't hear it. With that royal grace, he swung his leading foot back around and started towards me. And when he came close enough, he extended his hand. I hesitated, feeling worried that if I were to take it, I'd just bring him down with me. But he never retracted his offer, and he still seemed as confident as ever.

I took his hand, and he pulled straight up, never once losing his balance as far as I could tell. I brought up my knee back on the rope, and he helped me stand back up. Before he turned back around, he either told me to be more careful and don't look down, or to be watchful of the weather or it'll kick you down. Then he spun around again and I followed close behind him.

Tog stood breathless, he didn't even greet us when we came back on solid ground. I stumbled, half shocked and half relieved to be back on a wider, safer floor. I would have died, if it wasn't for my companion. All this time, I was so blind thinking I didn't need anyone to help me. Now I'm grateful for trustworthy friends by my side.

We didn't bother saying anything about it until we left the overwhelming sound of shifting sand behind and headed back to the tree bough. "I would have fell if you weren't there to help me." I said to the prince, he regarded me curiously. "I was wrong for treating you badly when you joined me on this quest. Thank you for saving me back there for the hundredth time."

He gave me a friendly nod, but it was Tog who spoke. "Look, the lever fell the branch leading to the double doors! I think we made it to the guardian." He was right, that door was now accessible, and we were just a few levels below it. My heart began to race with anticipation. Who will it be this time? What will we encounter on our way to the next one? One thing's for sure, I was tired of this place.


	28. The Ironknuckle, Rebonack

**Chapter 28**

 **The Ironknuckle, Rebonack**

Tog charged ahead to the footholds in the bark, and we climbed higher. And when we made it up to the top of the tree and opened the large, double doors, we were disappointed and confused. Rather than looking like a guardian's chamber, it was the exit out of the palace. We stood in the open outdoors, on top of a long staircase going straight down to the sand. "But this makes no sense!" I cried aloud. "The exit is always through the guardian's battlefield!" Glancing around, I even tried to spot the statue for the gem's resting place, but there wasn't one.

"Maybe we missed something?" Tog asked, starting to turn his body back to the door.

But I shook my head. "There wouldn't be an exit here. No, there's something here, we need to try and look." Then, without waiting for the others, I marched down the stairs. It was too quiet, nothing stirred, not even a bird. And most of all, I felt like I was being watched, but from where?

Tog and His Highness joined my side, and only watched as I scanned the perimeter. "Do you feel that?" I whispered.

"Someone's watching us." Was the prince's reply. Tog only nodded and brought his spear around, ready for an attack.

But the attack didn't come from an enemy, weapon, or trap. It came straight from the ground we stood on.

I heard it before I felt it, the slight rattle of sand and rocks. Then, I began to move on a small current. Even with my quick reflexes of yelling to my companions and trying to reach the stairs wasn't enough. It escalated too quickly. What started as a slow churn then expanded into a large lake of spinning quicksand. Yes, just like that, it was sinking in fast and rough enough to break the staircase in pieces. Then those pieces fell in with us, doomed to sink below the surface. In seconds, the sand already engulfed my thighs.

I tried my hardest to fight it, from looking for something to grab, using "jump", to using my sword as a cane I can lean up on. When my desperate fight was up though, nothing changed, my luck has ran out. The sand was now reaching my chest. Tog and His Highness continued to scream defiance and hopeless plans, but I wasn't even listening anymore. The weight of the sand was pressing and rubbing against my skin, and soon the sand was pushing my shoulders down under. I was so vulnerable here, I'd never thought I'll be stuck like this with no way out. It was too late, I'm so sorry I brought you two into this. We should have gone back inside. Zelda, I owe you an apology as well. Who will wake you up once I'm gone?

With the last question unanswered, the sand engulfed my head. I closed my eyes and sank deeper. I couldn't breathe, and even the sound was muffled into nothing. My memories swallowed the last of me, like I fell asleep.

I didn't even feel myself fall free through a sand waterfall and tumble to a stone floor.

I don't know how long I was lying there. I felt lightheaded and faint. But after sometime, I slowly came to. Confused, dazed, and just now catching up with my breath, I looked up through a darkened vision. I was being showered by small trickles of sand that fell away from the main body of sand pouring down. The ceiling gave me a vision of a stone hourglass. Like, despite the amount of earth falling above us, a thick stone ceiling determined how much was actually falling in here. The ceiling was not letting much come in either, the hole was small, and as I realized, it was not accidental. It was hard to tell with so much deposit, but it looked like the hole was perfectly round. It wasn't cracked.

My eyes stung from falling particles, so I turned my head back to the floor. Unlike the rest of the temple, the floor didn't smell like old, dusty rock, but like fine polished stone. It was even smoothed and cleaned. My companions also made it down here as well. Tog was lying closer to the spilling sand, and His Highness closer to me. The latter was sprawled in an odd position on his back, with his arms outstretched in different angles.

I pushed up to my knees and crawled over to him first. He moaned when I shook his shoulders and his eyes slowly flickered open. They were blank and unfocused at first, then they popped with recognition and he sat up. "Where are we? What happened?" He cried.

I shrugged, having no answer, then I crawled to wake Tog. Once I saw he was all right and awake, I stood up and inspected the room. I gasped when I realized this was the guardian's chamber. It was large and empty, but the familiar face of the statue stood at the opposite side, next to stairs leading up. The only thing odd about this was the lack of a guardian. The quicksand was planned, it was needed to take us here. But it happened right when all three of us were right in the middle of it, and that watchful gaze I felt, was it the guardian? Was he watching us, and did he trigger the quicksand? I don't know, but the fact that he wasn't here was making me a little nervous. There was nothing more to do than to make our way to the end.

Then without warning, I was startled when an anonymous voice filled the chamber. "Only the chosen one with the Triforce on the back of his hand may battle me. The other two may not interfere! Shall we begin?" It was a male voice, loud and deep. But it was impossible to pinpoint where it was coming from with his voice bouncing off the walls.

I turned back to my companions, and the prince was already shaking his head. "I can't just stand back and watch you fight! You're going to need help."

"Something tells me he's not giving you an option." I answered. "Stand back for all our sakes and let me fight. Promise me you won't get involved."

His Highness looked like he was trying to argue further, but instead remained silent and gave something like a pout instead. It was Tog who nodded, despite seeming angry about it as well. I wanted the prince to agree as well, but I couldn't wait much longer. Turning, I called back to the mysterious voice.

I expected to see the speaker come around from a dark corner, or maybe a secret perch he was watching from, but he did neither of these things. Instead, I made out a transparent form right in front of me. I'm not sure when I first noticed it, or how long it was there, but I knew it must have been the guardian. At the top, it looked like a huge man covered in heavy armor, very much like an ironknuckle. But I couldn't tell what was under him. Was he sitting on it? Whatever it was, it was larger than he was, like some kind of beast.

It didn't take long for him to become solid and clear. I gasped, nearly choking on my own breath. He was on a steed, but I didn't expect to see anything like it! It was in the shape of a horse, but it was fully mechanical, making it seem creepy how it never moved and just stared blankly ahead. What made it worse though, was that it had no legs, it instead just hovered off the ground.

"I am called Rebonack," The ironknuckle remarked, drawing my attention off his strange steed. "And I have guarded this palace for thousands of years, waiting for the chosen one to show. Finally, here is a battle worth fighting!" He lifted a jousting lance I didn't notice before and hurried his "horse" to the end of the room.

I drew my sword and watched him closely. He lowered his lance and charged forward, his steed still hovering with that blank expression. I waited for him to draw close before I leapt out of the way, when I did, he continued to soar past me to the other side of the room. Then, he stopped, and turned the still unmoving "horse" around before charging again. So he's going to see this as a jousting match? Very well, I didn't want to come too close to him or his steed then, but I had another idea. I casted "jump" and waited.

I watched carefully, trying to judge my distance right, then I jumped. My target was Rebonack, all I need to do was plunge my sword into his armor. But as I was falling, I realized that my estimate was a little off. Instead of landing on top of him, I was going for the horse's head, and by the time I realized that, it was too late.

At the same time, I saw Rebonack pointing the lance upward. I couldn't change where I was falling now, but I may still have a chance to save myself from that lance! I took my shield and aimed it down right when he stabbed the lance to me. As soon as it bounced back, I was already tumbling down the horse's neck and rolling into Rebonack. I nearly sent him flying off the saddle, but somehow he stayed on. At first, he was trying to shove me off the still flying steed. Then, after I awkwardly sliced his thick armor, just missing a joint, he suddenly dropped his lance. It slammed against the stone floor, already many yards back, and sending a terrible echo in the room. Then he went for a long, heavy sword on his hip.

I knew he had the advantage here, and I considered dropping down, but I decided to try my luck and stay on. He tried to stab me, but he struggled to find a way around my shield. He tried multiple angles, but I blocked every one. However, he also didn't allow me enough space or openings for me to strike back. So instead, I pushed back against the sword and into his armor. If he expected me to retaliate, he would have been able to fight against it, but now he was almost off the edge again. I hesitated, because I was also falling over after shoving him with so much force.

He was just starting to recover his balance again when the horse suddenly turned slightly, and ran us into a stone wall. I just remember a sound like an explosion, being showered by dirt and rocks, and sliding off the horse's back all at the same time. I landed on my back, still sliding a bit on the smooth floor.

When I propped my head up, I saw Rebonack was quickly trying to stand back on his feet, no doubt rushing back to the unaffected steed. I suddenly felt the need to beat him to it. I ignored the pain in my back and scramble to the still mount. Rebonack would have reached it first, but the heavy armor slowed him down. I jumped into the saddle and took the reins, trying to lead it away from the broken wall. To my surprise, it obeyed. I was expecting it either only listened to its master, or I wouldn't be able to urge it to move in time. It moved very well, just like you would move a real horse.

Once I was away from Rebonack, I brought the reins into what would have been a gallop if the beast had any legs. It was too odd, I felt like I should have been on a live horse, but this one was cold metal, and didn't give that gentle sway when it walked. Regardless, it did speed up into the right pacing.

I turned the horse around and charged back towards the ironknuckle. He was picking up the fallen lance, then he just waited in the middle of the floor.. The helmet kept his expression secret, I wondered if he was shocked or prepared. Seeing how confident he is though, I'd think it to be the latter. If so, I knew he was going to joust me before I could strike him, I had to catch him off guard.

I unsheathed my sword and raised it high, like I was going for a tall overhead chop. Rebonack took a balanced stance and waited, lance firmly gripped at his side. But when he was close enough to jab it forward, I was already abandoning my pose and lowering my torso against the steed's back. The lance flew above me and I stabbed low, hitting him in the chest. It wasn't enough to give him a bad injury, or even enough to draw blood, but it had to hurt. He flinched and grabbed his chest, and I sped ahead.

When at the end, I turned it around and started to charge for him again. Then, I caught a glimpse of my companions, they were staring, both awestruck and horrified. And I think I saw the prince's hand gripping the hilt of his sword. Will he stay out of this? Or was he just waiting for an excuse to jump in and fight? There was nothing more I could do about him now.

I turned back and looked for Rebonack. Then I hesitated, if I was charging on foot, I would have stopped, dumbfounded in confusion. He was still right there, where I left him, holding his lance and waiting for me to come closer. He had to have some kind of plan! I knew he wasn't stupid enough to fall for the same trick twice, so what was he doing? One thing's for certain though, I wasn't stopping. I had to continue the charge with caution. I was only a few yards away now, and I prepared my weapon and was ready to duck down like before. But I didn't understand, Rebonack still refused to move, not even to point or pull his lance back.

Then he leapt, at the last possible second with his shield suddenly in hand, in front of the horse. I was nearly knocked over from the collision as Rebonack pushed against the machine. I saw him sliding backwards, the horse was strong and still running, but Rebonack was stronger. The horse came to a slow stop.

I couldn't believe what I just saw. What power! But I was held speechless for too long, and Rebonack had come around to the side of the horse. I was thinking to reach for the shield on my back, but he was already moving to strike. My first response was to urge the horse forward again, but it was just puffing out bouts of steam instead. I then moved to strike him myself, but my time to act was over, and he ran the tip of the lance through me. In a single second, I remember horrible pain striking through my chest and right shoulder, and then falling off the other side of the saddle.

I landed on my back and struck my head pretty hard before I heard a clank I knew was from my sword bouncing away. Pain resonated from my now torn shoulder, and I tried to turn it off so I could focus better on healing it. I didn't know how much time I had, but I knew it wasn't much. After healing most of the wounds, I looked for my sword, praying I didn't take too long. Rebonack must have made it back to his horse, and now it was running fine with the exception of extra steam pouring out.

Finally, I caught sight of my sword lying just a few feet away. But now Rebonack and his horse were practically on top of me, I was too late! Rebonack brought the lance up and was about to stab down for me. I held up my shield, blocking the hit, but he was finished, he just kept stabbing and kept stabbing. There was nothing more for me to do, there wasn't even time for me to stand or fight back, and he never went away. I tried crawling back and away, still trying to reach my sword, although, I'm not sure how it can help me now. But now amount of crawling was fast enough, the horse followed my every move and kept its master close enough for him to continue piercing my shield. It was only a matter of time before I would grow too tired to defend myself.

I felt trapped. I was a goner, my quest was on the edge of failure. I looked back up to the Ironknuckle on the hovering mount and spat the first thing on my mind. "You call this a fair strategy?" I had to scream above the ongoing attacks. "You told me I had to fight you myself, and yet you hide behind that... that horse!"

To my surprise, he heard every word. "You don't think this is fair?" He asked, slowing his attacks but still trying to find an opening. "Good, because the challenges prepared for the chosen one are not! And the prophecy states that only you may fight the guardians, only you may search for the Triforce of Courage. Hero, I am not your toughest opponent. From this point forward, your quest will only become more difficult, both physically and mentally." Suddenly, he stopped attacking and the lance retreated back to his side. "However, if you want a 'fair' fight from me, I'm fully capable of defeating you on the ground!" He then dropped the lance to the floor and dismounted.

Now, I had the remarkable chance to stand and collect my sword. And when I turned back to him, his mechanical horse was already dissipating in thin air again. Rebonack paid it no mind, but slowly came closer while unsheathing his sword and shield. I haven't told just what kind of sword it was yet, but it was a giant two-handed sword. That's right, he was wielding it with one hand. Just one fine sweep with that could easily break bones.

Rebonack stopped when he was a few feet away, taking a readied stance. "I'll let you move first, human." He said, emphasizing the last word like it was an insult.

I hesitated for just a moment. I always hated when my opponents wanted me to strike first, but I didn't object. I started by aiming for an easy move, then turning mid swing, instead striking where his shield was a second ago. But he countered it with his sword. "Not bad." He remarked before stepping forward and swinging that heavy sword down.

I jumped to the side and jabbed forward, but he responded with an overwhelming shield bash. I stumbled back, nearly losing my footing. Laughing at my clumsiness, he struck again. This one almost took my left ankle, but it took the floor instead, making the whole floor quake and scatter. He had incredible strength, But does he have the speed to keep up with me?

Quickly striking a weak hit just to distract him, I bounced away from his counter and almost reached his back when he dropped his sword arm. I held up my shield, but the attack pushed me down on the ground. If the shield wasn't magical, it would have been seriously dented, if not useless altogether. I was unharmed though, and I could still make use of this angle. I plunged the tip of my sword into a joint of the armor and into his leg.

He roared and fell to one knee, but he wasn't completely helpless. He swiped towards me, and I jumped back, losing my balance yet again just from the wind of the blade, then something amazing happened. He began to stand back on both feet again. I could tell there was some pain there, and he was slow, but powerful to fight through it.

I hesitated, and when I reacted, it was too late. I ran forward, blindly taking a swing, making the mistake that he was still distracted. But Rebonack stood straight and shoved his shield in my face, pushing me to the ground. A running liquid tickled my nose and slid down to my chin, but I didn't have time to worry about that now. Rebonack was lifting that sword for an overhead swing.

I rolled out of the way of the first strike, debris still showering over me, but already he was going for another one, but that one was interrupted when a figure ran to his side and tried to stab through his defenses. I began to panic once I recognized him to be the prince. I yelled at him to stop, but I'm pretty sure he couldn't even hear me.

For a second, I thought I saw Rebonack flinch with the first stab, but then he quickly turned to the prince full of rage and sliced diagonally. His Highness leaned out of the way, but Rebonack was the quicker and the end of the sword ran over his arm. "I said no one may interfere!" He yelled as the prince of Hyrule tumbled back and fell down.

I couldn't believe what just happened. I told him to stay back! I rolled to my feet, but Rebonack wasn't going to let me go so easily. His sword cracked on the floor next to me, keeping me from helping the wounded noble. But luckily, Tog was there to help, he ran to his side and tried to move him out of the battle. I could only pray he was all right.

In the meantime, I needed to focus on winning this fight. I danced around his every swing, countering and striking when I had a chance. I expected, after a while, Rebonack's injured leg would continue to slow him down, but he never did, and he never grew tired. I was going to need a new strategy. I needed to surprise him, but how?

I spun out of the way of another earth cracking swing, then casted "jump". I began by baiting him to swing low, and when he did, I jumped over his head and slid my sword into his back. He didn't yell, just fell to his injured knees and dropped his sword and shield. It was at this point when I noticed the lack of blood, come to think of it, there was no blood when I stabbed him in the knee either.

Rebonack slouched forward. "…I believe I have underestimated you as my opponent." Then, with no farewell or congratulations, he bowed his head and vanished in thin air, leaving only his sword and shield behind.


	29. Eastern Hyrule

**Chapter 29**

 **Eastern Hyrule**

"What can I do? Is it bad?" I asked Tog, scrambling over as soon as the battle was done. I haven't even bothered healing my own cuts and scrapes, not when my friend may have lost his arm.

Tog was sitting on the ground next to him, and a piece of cloth was tied around the wound and up to the shoulder. Already, the cloth was soaking up crimson, but not nearly as much as I'd thought there'd be. Surprisingly, the prince still had most of his arm. "The sword ran down the length of the arm and left a really nasty gash there, but it could have been worse," Tog explained when his gaze settled on my eyes. "That blade could have taken his arm with it."

The prince's face was scrunched, his eyes squeezed shut, and he groaned in pain. "I'm sorry, I tried to stop him." The moblin lamented. "But he was determined he wouldn't let you die without help."

"It's all right, Tog, you did the best you could." I replied. "Right now, all we can do is to help with the aftermath, then get out of here."

* * *

Some time has passed, but I wasn't really sure how much. I spent most of it pacing, taking a look around the empty chamber. Absolutely nothing remained of the battle, save for Rebonack's sword and shield. Other than that, the battle against him faded in my memory, like it was only a dream.

And if it wasn't for the sand gently trickling down from where we came in, it would have been quiet enough for our heartbeats to fill the silence. The sand was now sliding off the mound and entering this part of the chamber. It would take matters of days, if not weeks, but I believed this place would one day be filled to the top, blocking out any more visitors. I suppose it didn't matter. Once I leave the gem in the statue's head, the rest of the palace will collapse anyway. The smell of the fine polished chamber came back to my attention, I must have been too busy to notice it in the fight.

I glanced back at my companions. The prince had eventually quieted and even fell asleep. Tog was still beside him, but he was slouching against the wall, looking just as tired as His Highness. Then, I realized that I was exhausted too, and sat on the other side of the prince.

"Shouldn't we be on the move soon?" Tog asked when I settled in place. "When does the palace collapse?"

"Actually," I began, breathing out slowly and hiding a wince as my cuts suddenly burned again. "We should be safe until I place the gem in that statue."

"Good," He replied, sinking in his seat a little further. "Because I'm not sure how much longer I can stay awake myself."

"Me neither." I agreed, copying him and rolling over into a comfortable position. The prince beside me never once stirred, at least he didn't look like he was suffering anymore. His breathing came deep and steady, sending me even more into a restful state of mind.

"What do you think he was thinking?"

I focused again on Tog curiously, not sure how to respond. What exactly did he mean?

"The prince," He elaborated. "What do you think went on in his head when he attacked Rebonack? He knew the rules, surely he knew Rebonack wouldn't stand for his interruption."

"Sure he did," I answered, confident I was right. "But he's stubborn, he's not going to listen to reason."

Now it was Tog's turn to look confused. He sat straighter and considered me. "I'm just surprised you don't seem angry about it."

I wasn't expecting that kind of responce from him, and I didn't know how to respond. The words in my head bounced, giving me time to figure out how to start. Tog was patient though, and I respected that. "I am a little," I answered finally after a few minutes. "But it's hard to be mad when I almost lost my friend. Besides, a while back, I betrayed him, and it wouldn't feel right if I was mad at him doing the same to me."

He nodded. "Makes sense, you seem more heroic and kind than the last time we met."

Originally, that comment would have boosted my ego, but for some reason, it just made me embarrassed, like I didn't deserve that title anymore.

Tog settled again and stared at the wounded noble. "A part of me is surprised he's still going on this quest with you. I mean, I know the safety of his sister is important to him, but he has a lot of responsibilities as prince."

"Like I said, he's stubborn."

"I suppose he is, but after the king died, the princess was cursed, and the prince left with you, there's no royal head at the castle anymore. I heard a rumor the lady Impa took over after his absence."

I was struck with shock. "I haven't even considered this..."

He breathed inward, speaking next in the midst of a yawn. "Luckily, she's a good leader when she needs to be." Then, deciding that was the end of our conversation, he rolled over.

I still couldn't blame His Majesty. I knew it was probably better for him to remain at the castle, leading his people. But he blamed himself for his sister's crisis, I couldn't stand in the way of that. But then I began to wonder, did he know Impa had to take his responsibilities for him?

* * *

The next morning, everyone was well rested and the night had gone on peacefully without interruption. Even the prince was feeling better. It will take his arm a while to heal, but he was well enough now to travel again after a night's rest.

With our task done, it was time to find a way back to the graveyard and figure out where we needed to go next. I placed a gem in the stone head and lead my companions up the stairs and out the guardian's chamber, where the ground beneath the already falling apart temple began to shake.

We left the only way we could, back through the mysterious tunnel where we came in. As I recall, the prince and I flew down here using the spell, fairy. That made me wonder how Tog came down here, and will I have to use that spell again for all three of us? I'm not sure if I was ready for that.

But later, Tog assured me that I didn't need to worry. And we climbed his rope that he left when he followed us up. I checked my map once I made it up sometime later. The next palace was the Maze Palace, and indeed, it rested past a large land sculpted into a maze north of Nabooru Town. That was over in Eastern Hyrule, a place I haven't gone to very often.

"You'll have to catch a ship for that one." Tog spoke aloud, glancing over at my map. "Luckily, you don't need to go far with Mido being a harbor town."

"You're not leaving us again, are you?" I asked him.

His gaze dropped and swept the grass. "You don't need my help. I think it'll be safer for the both of us if we remained our seperate ways."

"I have to disagree, we couldn't have made it out there alive without you."

"Well, I'm fighting for my kins' trust right now. A few have been confused by my actions since I helped you save the prince of Hyrule a while ago. I'm hoping to stay on their good side right now, so..."

"I see, I wish you could stay and help, but I understand."

He gave a small moblin smile. "Maybe one day, who knows? Don't worry, we'll meet again."

Then, it was the prince's turn to speak. This was the first time I heard him talk since last night, he's been unusually quiet. I never questioned him, he was having a rough time, most likely feeling guilty and hurt. "Before you go, I want to apologize." He started, looking towards the moblin. "I've been hostile towards you, even believing you were looking to betray us because I thought all moblins were the same. I was wrong. You sacrifaced your safety many times over to help us. I was just too stubborn to see it." Then he bowed his head over respectfully. "I'll like to look on this as a lesson in my reign, that I shouldn't judge the creatures of Hyrule based on their kin. You will always be welcomed in my kingdom."

Tog was taken aback, his blue skin turning a tint of pink in the face and he shyly scratched his head. But then he recovered and returned the bow. "Your words are an honor, Your Majesty. I'm glad to be welcomed among your people." Then he stood straight, wished us a safe trip, and went on his way.

"How are you feeling?" I asked the prince once Tog was gone.

He didn't reply right away, but thought about it for a while before shrugging. "My arm still hurts."

"Do you feel well enough to walk to Mido, or do you need to rest?"

He nodded, glancing down at the casted arm. "I'm fine for now." He was still quiet, and kept his head low like he was ashamed. But I didn't bother him about it, instead I took a step towards Mido. Surprisingly, he was the one who stopped me. "I feel as if I owe you an apology as well." He started. "I should have known better than to disobey the rules of that fight. I betrayed you when I jumped in after you told me you had it covered."

I found the notion ridiculous. "Then we're even." I replied immediately. "If anything, I'm glad we're on the same page now. And to be honest, I don't think I could have stayed back anymore than you could."

A small, meek smile showed at the corner of his mouth. "Thanks."

* * *

And so, we journeyed back into town, in seek of a ship heading for Eastern Hyrule. We talked with many ship captains, some kinder than the rest. But after many tries, many conversations, and many offers, we finally found the ship we needed. For a fair price, we were welcomed aboard a merchant's ship. The best thing about it was the timing, as they were leaving as soon as the last minute crates made it to the storage room.

The weather was perfect for sailing. The sky glowed a glorious blue, with a few clouds making it seem softer, and the ocean was even a deeper blue than that. It stretched on as far as the eye can see, shrinking the ship's majesty like the waters were wide and strong enough to swallow the world whole. I breathed in, taking in the sweet scent of sea salt till it burned my nostrils. Seagulls cried overhead, and swayed through the gentle breeze, the same breeze that brushed by my skin and through my hair.

The prince's wound was healing quickly too, and his mood was improving. But I still couldn't shake that he was different than I remembered, he was quiet a lot of times. What was going through his mind? I wondered. But then I wondered if I changed too, because, no matter how peaceful the weather was, or how I felt about it, something lingered deep down, something that continued to bother me. Rebonack's complete confidence the quest was going to become more difficult. Maybe it bothered me because those thoughts mingled with my nightmares of Ganon coming back.

But we were fighting for survival as it was, if Rebonack was right, then we're walking into destruction. Usually, my own self confidence would brush those last thoughts away, but lately, I haven't had as much confidence as I used to. It was like I had forgotten how dangerous this kingdom really is. Truth be told, I knew I was growing scared. And what did he mean when he said only I may search for the Triforce? He didn't seem too bothered that I had two companions already with me. But we weren't even searching for the Triforce yet, I suppose. Right now, we were seeking the palaces. Does that mean I'll be forced to continue this alone in the future? I'm not sure if I want to go on my own anymore.

Before I knew it, I was gripping the silver Triforce around my neck. No matter what, I must continue, at the risk of my life, even at the risk of Ganon returning, no matter how terrified that made me. I would sacrifice the whole of the kingdom to wake Zelda. If only she was here now.

* * *

There it was, Eastern Hyrule. This was like new territory for me. I've been here only a few other times before, for a job where the people of Nabooru wanted help ridding their town of a group of bothersome monsters. But I never ventured very far in this part of the kingdom, I wonder what challenges were in store for us here? What sort of mystery I haven't experienced yet lies around here? I had expected to be excited at the thought of exploring new land. This is why I traveled so much, but for some reason, I was more worried than ever before.

"What sort of harbor town is this?" His Highness asked, suddenly appearing next to me. He stared out beyond the dock at the little quiet settlement. It was really different from Mido. Mido was huge, busy, and beautiful. This town was a lot smaller and simpler. There wasn't even room for more than two ships. "We haven't reached Nabooru yet, have we? As I recall, I don't remember it being a harbor town."

"No," I answered, leaning out the dock. "Nabooru is further east in the mainland. This little town was built here just for the support of the ships and crews. Nabooru's bigger, and has better supplies."

He continued to glare out the ship as I stood straight and took out my map again. I found the rough, simple mark for the town of Nabooru, then traced it north, through the mountains, then to a long bridge east of the woods. That bridge led to the maze island, and the palace was hidden somewhere in there. "We'll stop in Nabooru first, then trek through the mountains. I believe they had mined their way through it, so we should be able to go through there with little trouble."

"You said that the last time we had to go through a mine."

"Fair enough." I replied, thinking back to the time when we were surprised by a horde of angry aches. "But don't forget that was an abandened mine. This one, at least when I was here last, is still in business."

"It better be, I don't want to go through that again." He answered, moving away and heading for the town. I pushed off the railings and followed.

* * *

Several hours of mostly silence later, we came to the town of Nabooru, where we spent the rest of the day buying supplies and thinking our plans through for the morning. We even found the elder of the town and asked for his advice. He first gave me a spell to enchant my sword with the ability to shoot fire, then told us to make sure to visit Darunia before we enter the maze. He said the elder there had the only means to defeat the wizards who live in the palace.

Darunia was a little out of our way, it was on a plateau in the middle of the mountains west of the woods. But he said it was important, so we should heed his advice. If that really was the case, then I was glad we spoke with him first, because if what he said is true, then we would have been hopeless against the wizards of the Maze Palace.

So with a new destination in mind, we stayed at the inn. I stayed in a nice, quiet room, but my dreams of Ganon returned, and this time, Rebonack was here as well with his cryptic warnings. The nightmares came in many forms, but most of the time, Ganon was the final guardian of the Grand Palace. He was my final trial. Eventually, I've had this dream many times to the point that I became afraid of the final battle, like he was really there, waiting for his revenge. Of course, that couldn't be true. He's dead, he's been dead for six years. There was no way he could come back without my death coming first, right? There was no way he was the final guardian.


	30. Expectation and Duty

**Chapter 30**

 **Expectation and Duty**

The roads were clear, too clear. The walk from Nabooru to the mine was completely monster free. Maybe the word hasn't come to the monsters here that they could revive Ganon by my death, or maybe he didn't have minions here. Either way, not being followed for once was like a breath of fresh air. I could finally relax. Speaking of fresh air, the visit to Eastern Hyrule felt new and clean. I didn't know if that was because of the thought of exploring new ground, or if there was something here Western Hyrule doesn't have.

The mine wasn't too far, being just a little while away from Nabooru. And with luck, it was not abandoned. The worksite was occupied. Citizens of Nabooru were moving to and fro, working or resting. Sweat, hard work, and metal tools all mingled together in one whiff. Voices, both light hearted and serious filled the air, along with clanging, beating, and puffing. As we walked by, some workers stared while others told us to be careful in the mines.

Once we were at the mouth, I brought out my candle and summoned the magical fire on the wick. The flame casted its light to the far corners of the dank darkness. There were a few aches and lowders here, but they weren't a problem. However, here in Eastern Hyrule, we came across a new creature. It was minding its own business, where the tunnels were becoming narrow. It seemed threatened by the light of the candle, because it whipped its long, scaly body around, glared menacingly at us with piercing red eyes, and let out a frightening hiss. The light hovered and engulfed this strange beast, revealing a dark green sheen on the scales.

Despite never seeing one in person before, the prince told me he was aware of these creatures, known as basilisks. He immediately warned me to snuff the candle. After obeying without question, he continued by saying these things had formidable strength if threatened. They had the ability to spit energy spheres from their mouths, and if you're hit by one, it'll give a burning shock and leave you weak.

After lingering in the pitch black shadows for quite a time, my eyes adjusted to the point where I could see the faintest outline of the basilisk. The darkness made the creature relax, soon after that, it stuck its long face in the dirt, sniffed around, and walked around in slow circles. After several minutes of this, it finally turned and marched further in the dark and out of sight.

"It should be safe now." His Highness whispered.

* * *

We didn't have anymore problems in the cave after that. I didn't believe our luck at first, but when the stagnate air of the cave began to mix with a free breeze, and the sun casted warm rays of light from the other end of the cave, I was surprised we didn't encounter more creatures or hiding minions in there.

Here, the forest felt just as open and safe as the land around Nabooru. It was refreshing to be outside again, breathing in clean air instead of the floating dust in the mine. Green grass swayed back and forth under the blue sky, and the forests provided plenty of cool shade. For now though, we won't be strolling through the trees, instead, we'll leave the peace of the forest and head for the western mountain. If we kept a strong pace, we might even reach it before the sun disappears. Turning towards our path, the mountain was already visible. It towered over the trees, reaching for the atmosphere.

I then looked over at my companion, I was still worried for him. His arm was almost completely healed now, but we still kept it in the cast for a while longer. I'll have to watch him carefully. But since there was a trail heading for Darunia, I'd imagine there wouldn't be too much climbing.

* * *

The trail, like the rest of them, was also clear of any ambushes. The only creature we came upon up here was one I was familiar with, tektites. They were bouncing all over in small packs, springing up high in the air on their crab legs. They were half bug, and half crab, but they were easily the size of shrubs. These things, if you were skilled enough to catch them, were a delicacy in Hyrule. And they may have only a single eye, but it was still difficult to sneak up on them.

"Are you doing all right?" I asked my companion without looking back, but there wasn't an answer. "Your Majesty?" I asked again, this time stopping and turning around.

He must have stopped in his tracks, because he was a little way back. He was just staring out in the distance, facing west, towards home. Of course, we were too far away from Hyrule castle now, but had we been anywhere in Western Hyrule, we would most likely be able to see the striking white towers. Here though, was just a view of rough, jutting rocks, and the wide ocean after it. We were started to run out of time if we planned to reach Darunia before dark, the sun was already beginning to set. But the waters were calm and peaceful, catching glimmers of the sun that shown on the surface like sparkling diamonds. It soaked up the orange sunset. Here, the sea salt was mild. A part of that saddened me, like I wanted it to overwhelm the air with its sweet, tangy smell.

The prince's gaze hardly left the ocean, it was almost as if he was staring at the castle itself, like it was sitting in the water. He barely even reacted when I joined his side and peered over the ocean with him. "Is something bothering you? You've been quiet ever since we left the Island Palace."

He was quiet for a long time. At first, I thought he was ignoring me, but then I realized he was trying to form his feelings into words. "I'm a sorry excuse of a king. This whole time, I've only thought of one thing; I wanted to save my sister and undo my mistake."

I was confused by this. "That doesn't make you a bad ruler. You care for your sister, that should be respected. Even if you made a mistake, you recognized what you did wrong and you're trying to fix it."

"Yes, but I abandoned my people."

I held my breath, trying not to sure how much his response struck me. This could mean two things, either he realized this himself, that Impa took control in his absence, or he was awake when Tog was explaining this to me. I hoped it wasn't the latter.

I was curious. "Why do you say that?"

"I don't blame you, but I heard you and the moblin talking the other night." Of course it was the latter. I stiffened, tense and not sure how he'll respond next. "And he was right, after Father died, and the princess cursed, I was the last noble of the kingdom. The last one who was needed to lead the people through a stressful time, the last one responsible, and I left them behind." He sighed and shifted his weight over, no longer standing perfectly straight. "I wonder if she's mad at me, Lady Impa. She told me I needed to stay, but I disobeyed. Now she's ruling the kingdom on her own. And I haven't thought about that happening. Not that I'm surprised she had to take over, I've just been too focused on my own mission."

I didn't know what to say. I didn't have any ideas, any words of encouragement or anything. I wondered what he planned on doing with this information. Will he decide to go back home, or was he still too stubborn on rescuing his sister? Another moment of silence came, looming over us like bad weather. I imagined he was fighting the voices in his head, as he never moved from his spot, even though it will be growing dark soon and we had to reach the town before then.

Finally he spoke, his voice cracked with frustration. "I don't know what to do! Now that I remember my responsibilities, I feel like it would be best for me to return home, but I can't! I can't bare to see my sister in the state she's in much longer." He breathed, his tone softening a little. "How can I show strength and confidence for my people when I don't have any for myself?"

I shrugged. "I have no idea. I wish I had a better answer."

He sighed, and glanced around at the trail, then to the sky, like he was realizing how dark it was for the first time. "It's getting dark, we should continue." Then he marched on ahead without another word.

* * *

By the time we entered Darunia, the moon was high in the sky, and for a long while, I was worried we wouldn't be able to find a place to stay. But the goddesses were smiling down on us, because we found the inn while wandering around in the pitch dark.

The next morning, we visited shops to eye supplies. It wasn't long ago when we left Nabooru with supplies we needed, but this was a good chance to pick up what we missed. Then after that, we began our hunt for the wise man.

My companion, the prince, returned to his still and quiet state. Throughout the day, it was like he was stuck in a bothering ponder, like he was busy seeking an answer to his problem.

Meanwhile, we finally found the elder's residence. After telling him the elder from Nabooru sent us, he knew exactly what we wanted. He gave me a scroll for the spell called "Reflect" and told me the wizards of the Maze Palace had strong magic few can beat, but this spell will enhance my shield so I can send their magic right back at them.

Once we were out on the street again, I stood, thinking what else we may need, but I believed we had everything we needed to continue with. "Is there anything else we need from here before we go?" I asked the distracted noble, just making sure we were on the same page, but the question was met with silence. "Your Highness?" I asked again. "Have you made a decision on what to do next?"

Then he breathed and came back to reality. "I believe I have." Then he hesitated for only a short moment, most likely giving it one last thought and making sure it was the right choice. Then he faced me. "I can't avoid my duties forever, and while I want nothing more than to continue helping you find the Triforce, my people need me, and now's the best time to show them what their next king will look like."

Hearing his decision made my heart sink, he's been by my side this entire time. I know not all of it was friendly, and I never wanted him to come along in the first place, but we were a team. I understood his decision, and it was the right thing for him to do, but still, the thought of going to the Maze Palace by myself filled my head with sadness and worry. Funny, that's how I wanted it at the beginning of this quest, but now, I wondered how I would handle it. Both His Highness and the moblin, Tog, saved my life hundreds of times. It makes me wonder how I survived on my own this long anyway.

It took me a short while to realize he was talking again. "...And I'm going to be honest, I'm terrified. I have made my final decision, but I'm going into it no stronger or ready than I ever have been. But I don't think I'll feel any better about it until the princess wakes." He breathed again and turned his gaze over to the west. "But maybe this is my first step towards becoming king, the first challenge I'm fighting to face in front of the eyes of the kingdom."

I tried to say something to fill in the gap. This goodbye after such a long journey seemed to happen too fast, like none of it mattered. But I had nothing to say, I wanted him to go, it was important, but I also didn't want to show how I felt about going on my own.

"I'm sorry, I don't feel right about leaving you alone on this quest. But when first joined you out of stubbornness, I wanted to be the one to undo my own mistake, and in that thinking, my vision was clouded, like I forgot you were the one who rescued her in the first place. But she never forgot. She knew if it wasn't for you, she most likely would have been dead long ago. She trusted you fully, and now it's my turn. I'll go home and face my responsibilities, but I'm not giving up, I'm choosing to trust you'll bring her back to us again."

"Thanks, I'll do the best I can." I replied, trying to shake buried fears and nightmares out of my mind. "With that kind of thinking, you'll make a fine and humble king."

"Ah, we'll see." He answered, slightly embarrassed. "Good luck, and save the Princess." Then, after he told me he was going to stay in town a while longer before heading back to Nabooru, I wished him a safe trip home, then went on my way.

As I was doing so, my conscience yelled at me. I felt like I was leaving him behind again. No, I answered my thoughts, this is his decision, and as much as I would like to keep him by my side on this mission, I had no right to deny his position in the kingdom.

As I was walking by the trail leading out of the town, I almost missed a scene of heartbroken parents wailing to some heavily clad soldiers. "We can't just leave them out there!" One distraught man yelled, he faced the first soldier, leaning towards him, like he was trying to intimidate the man. "You need to continue the search, they're out there somewhere, maybe in danger!"

"You need to calm down, Sir." The soldier replied calmly without raising his voice. "You're not listening, I just finished telling you we already know where the children are."

Then the knight next to him pounded his spear into the stone to gain attention from the crazed parents arguing and talking above the first soldier. "While we searched the forest, some sort of beast fired an arrow at us. The arrow carried a message."

I slowed my pace, growing interested. What's going on here? Are there children missing from the town?

"The letter said the kids are being held in the maze." He finished, and upon hearing those words, the men and women began screaming and falling to their knees.

The only villager still standing was the angry man, though even his voice was cracking. "Then you know where they are. Go over there and do your jobs!"

"And it also requested the hero known as Link to come save them." The knight replied, ignoring the man's outraged comment. I sucked in a breath and held it. A group of monsters took helpless children away from their parents so I would come out and help them? They were trying to lure me in, they were setting a trap. But I was fixing to head that way anyway, and can I really leave them with the monsters after I found out the truth? I hesitated. How many monsters are over there now? What if their trap works, what if they finally capture me?

"You're going to wait for this Link?" The voice of the angry man broke my thoughts. "You're going to let him do your job for you!? Well then, why don't you-"

"Sir," The other knight interrupted. "We're just keeping you updated. Although, I've heard of this hero, and they say he's quite capable and willing to help with any crisis. I do believe we shall send word for him, and in the meantime," He emphasized the last word and glared at the villager, like he was daring another hateful comment. "We shall group our strongest soldiers and do the best we can to liberate the children."

I thought about speaking up, I thought about letting them know that I was already here and I would help the children. But this time, I think I'd prefer to do this anonymously. Besides, I would be able to sneak by whatever trap these monsters set up easier by myself than with a whole group of soldiers with me. After making up my mind, I quietly left the scene and continued out of town. Little did I know then, I was making a mistake by leaving without help.

* * *

There was a long bridge crossing from the woods, over the ocean, and to the maze. I could see the island in the distance in front of me, and it was like someone built the sheer cliffs from the ocean floor itself, then made it rise to the surface. The island was marked on the map, but it didn't show any detail about it. It didn't show what kind of turns there were, or where the palace was. But I had Zelda's pendent to help me.

The bridge seemed to stretch all the longer when I was on it. The stone surface traced the water impossibly far to be considered safe. But I learned the palaces were strengthened in magical ways, and there was no need to question its condition.

Once I finally met the maze itself, I was worried it would be growing too dark too soon for my search to lead me anywhere. Already, the sun was leaning to kiss the salty horizon, and I haven't even entered the maze yet. Well, I should have a few hours to start at least.

I wanted to look for the palace, but if there was any hope of the children of Darunia, I had to keep an eye for them as well. Not to mention all the traps and scouts these monsters no doubt had in place for me, I had to be careful. I glanced down to the Triforce hanging around my neck, an idea was forming in my mind. "Can you show me the way to the kids?" I asked of it. But nothing happened. "Can you at least show me which way to the palace?" And this time, the silver light obeyed, shooting it down a specific hallway. So the pendent didn't lead the bearer to certain things, but helped show the way out once they were lost, although, it did know where the palaces were, that's handy. But of course it couldn't help with where the children were being held, that would be too easy. Whatever the case, this will help keep me from spending weeks in the maze looking for the palace.

Still, I was unaware of my big mistake in coming here alone. How did I ever believe I could sneak by these monsters when I already knew they were just sitting in there waiting for me?


	31. A Prisoner's Betrayal

**Chapter 31**

 **A Prisoner's Betrayal**

I took a single step forward, then stopped, thinking I should listen for anything nearby. Ocean waves crashed and lapped at the island, and gulls cried overhead, but nothing else came to my ears. I didn't hear any voices, footsteps, or anything else suspicious. They must be further in.

I then took another step forward before I stopped yet again. Perhaps asking the pendent to show me the way was a bad idea when I'm looking to remain hidden. I didn't want any of the monsters to see it, it was like a giant arrow pointing to my position! I asked the pendent to return to normal for the time and finally marched through the first turn.

* * *

I haven't encountered a single enemy, and I've been walking for miles. I could no longer hear the crashing waves of the ocean, and then the thought occurred to me how deep I must've gone. The only glance of freedom from the eternal paths was the collection of sunset colors in the cloud-filled sky above my head now, and the disturbance of dirt and rocks seemed much louder than before. I wondered, if I could fly like a bird, just how many different passages were in this large island, and where was the temple?

The only thing that looked different from the ordinary tight rocky corridors, was the river I found. But it wasn't a river filled with harmless water, it was more like a boiling acid. It hissed, and left nearby ground smoking where it sloshed. I didn't think too much about it at first, but as I was crossing a bridge over it, I realized the acid was producing these small bubbles that formed at the surface and floated up in the air.

Then the inevitable happened. At first, I was paranoid the monsters finally found me when I felt searing pain on the back of my shoulder, but of course it was the acid bubbles. There may have been hundreds of them, and they all popped and burned my skin. It was like the acid created a ring that burn all the way down to my bones! I flinched for only a second before running to the other end of the bridge. And when I was safely past the acid, I had red boils all over where they popped. Other than that, every area was the same.

Some time later, I was in one of these ordinary paths when I heard something that made my heart stop. I don't know what it was for sure, but someone was here with me, stalking me. I reached for my sword and slowly turned around.

But no one was there.

I turned ahead again. The road hasn't turned for a while, I've been walking down this straight path for quite some time now. If there was someone here, they would be past the walls, on some other part of the maze. But I didn't feel safe, and I still couldn't convince myself that I wasn't being watched.

I heard their feet disturb the dust, the wind carried their breath against my skin. I knew someone had to be here. I remained quiet and looked up. The sunset colors above me were nearly depleted, and the moon was rising, helping to shed a little bit of light in the already dark night. I wondered, should I see if I could climb the wall? What if that's where these creatures were?

Returning my weapon to its sheath, I grabbed onto the stone wall of the maze. But it was perfected carved, polished even. There's no way anyone could climb this. Feeling a little safer, I remained by the wall. Should I remain here for a while and allow these nearby footsteps time to move away, or should I keep moving, as they may be heading this way?

Before I could make up my mind, a rock suddenly hurled itself towards me! I saw it just in time to step aside, where it cracked into the wall just inches away. Where did that come from? I asked myself as I spun around, expecting to be face to face with the culprit, but still, no one was here.

Then, a moment later, I saw it. A lizalfos stood up from its position on top of the wall and threw another rock. Again, I saw the attack coming and I was able to step to the side around it. How did it get up there? As mentioned before, the rock was too smooth to climb. It must have found a different way up, but how?

My curiosity had to be placed on hold, right now, I needed to focus on my survival. I unsheathed my sword and shield and shot at my attacker. I missed the first two times, but the monster hesitated, and my third shot reached him. But he wasn't the only one. More lizalfos appeared from on top the wall and proceeded to throw rocks while others jumped down and brandished weapons.

This was it, I've been ambushed! I was trying so hard to watch for every trick, every trap, and here they still had me. No, I can't go out like this! I can take them! And just like that, the adrenaline began pumping through my veins, and I pushed off the wall with my sword swinging in their direction. My sword wavered, a scaly arm having slowed its momentum, but it cut through, racing forward until stopped by a shield belonging to a different beast.

There were so many here, the maze path was crowded! Most of them it seemed were lizalfos, but there were a few others, like moblins and even a few dairas. And yet, there were still others on top of the wall, continuing with throwing rocks. So while fighting on the ground, I had to avoid and watch for the rocks sailing my way as well. Of course, this was nearly impossible, and I've been stung by weapon strikes and rock falls alike.

I barely parried a spear away from my face in time, and countered. Swinging the spear aside and jabbing forward, my blade burying itself in the unfortunate beast's belly. Then another weapon came flying immediately after that, this one a mace, and I barely saw it in time for me to push my shield into it. But in that second, I dared left an opening where my shield once was. Here was a moblin's chance to thrust his own spear forward, and I tried not to flinch when the sharp edge ran against my side.

I kicked the moblin back and returned its blow, drawing blood on its arm. Then, I flung my blade to the left, where the monsters were closing in. I unexpected hit a daira, but its shield save it most of the damage, as it was now holding its wrist.

The cut in my side was burning up now, and I knew it was spilling blood. I didn't know how bad it was or how much I was bleeding, but I knew I needed to finish this up fast and tend to it. Oh, how I lamented I didn't even have enough space to cast "life"! I couldn't even cast the simplest spell of shield in this mess!

Despite the roaring pain, I kept moving. Dodging, parrying, and countering everywhere I possible could. Monsters, both left, right, front were closing in on me, squeezing every foot of air. But now was the best time to release a spin-attack! They were shocked, eyes widening and jaws flying agape before they barely had time to back up while others were hurt and killed by the swinging sword.

But that didn't keep them off my back for long, and I was struggling dancing by these rocks that were still falling on my head. I didn't know how much longer I could continue, and still I was forced to. Giving up was not an option, they were planning on killing me anyway, I'd rather the rest of my blood be spilt while I was still fighting.

I pushed forward, forcing them to back up or strike. Then, I began again trying for a faint swing on the nearest daira. It worked, and I tucked my weapon low and sent him half spinning, half retreating through the back of the crowd.

After that, I dared another spin-attack to back them up even further, and while that worked better than last time, I swayed when I stopped. The malicious faces in front of me slowly distorted and turned, and my stomach flipped, sending a wave of illness through my body and vision. I sent a quick glance to the wound in my side. It was bleeding pretty bad now, of course, it didn't help that I was moving so quickly, like I was encouraging the blood to run fast. "Shield" would have stopped that wound from happening in the first place. Why was I so unprepared for this? This wasn't like me.

Forcing to parry and block, I summoned every ounce of strength I had left in me, taking down beast after beast. It then occurred to me with hope that the crowd was beginning to lessen, and I rushed to the nearest lizalfos, blocking its mace and danced to the side, past the defenses of its own shield. Taking that one out allowed two more to take its place. They covered each other's backs, so when I saw an opening in their defenses, I couldn't reach it in time before the other lizalfos would protect against the attack.

I flung a faint at one's shoulder, and intercepted the teamwork by shoving my shield into the lizalfos next to my target. I was then able to draw a gash into my target's chest. Now he was out of the way, the other to my right was going to swing the spear down on my head, so I ducked and held my shield up above me. With all the strength I could muster, I pushed back up and threw him off balance.

Now was my chance! I held my sword tight, ready to strike him down, but then all of a sudden, something heavy smashed into the back of my head. I assumed later one of the lizalfos' rocks hit its mark, and so this new searing pain, coupled with the wave of illness that was still trying to pull me under, I just barely remember falling to my knees uncontrollably. I expected the horde to run me through next and finish the fight, but they just stared, grinning in their victory.

No! Keep fighting! The voices inside my head yelled, but I could no longer. My aching body would no longer listen to my commands, and I fell face first into the dirt.

* * *

There was a sharp, uncomfortable pain in my side, I also had a pounding head, but it wasn't nearly as bad as the former. What happened, and where was I? Was I being reckless again? For a long while, I believed I must have been camping for the night. Was I on my way to the Maze Palace? Then images of a battle floating into my mind. It felt like a dream, vague and surreal. That's what it was, a dream. Yeah, if that would have really happened, I would be dead right now.

The ground was hard, nothing covered me and I don't think I was lying on anything except for the stone ground of a cave or rock. Everything was quiet at first, but as I was slowly becoming more and more aware of my surroundings, voices filled in the otherwise silent space, and they weren't just the ones in my head. Was that a child's cry? And what were the other ones? They were scratching and hissing, like a lizalfos. Lisalfos? Like the ones I saw in that battle a little while ago? Wait, does that mean it wasn't a dream at all?

I decided to ask my confusion to the air around me, but it came out in an unintellible groan instead. For the first time since I don't know when, I opened my eyes. Everything was blurred, not that there was much to see anyway, as it was pitch dark. I didn't feel any different than when I had my eyes closed.

Then, something moved. What is that? Whatever it was, it was just as dark and hard to make out, but I was thinking it was shaped kind of like a person standing in front of me. No, standing above and looking down at me. But just like the grogginess in my head, the blur slowly shaped into focus. Then, I realized the voice was speaking to me. "Mister?" The form in front of me whispered. It was just a child, staring down at me with red, wet eyes and a trembling lip.

"He's waking up?" I heard another child ask and then, she too showed beside the first boy. "I thought he was dead."

Am I not?

A few more kids approached before I struggled back and tried to sit up. That wasn't a dream, it really happened. The monsters set up an ambushed and captured me. All of a sudden, sickness overtook me again, and it wasn't because of the wound in my side disabling me from sitting up how I want. Though I unintentionaly let out a cry when a jolt took over me from moving. The children, instead of insisting I remain lying down, helped me sit up by pulling on my arms. That made the pain even worse for a while, but at least I was sitting up now and could take in the rest of the room.

It looked like we were inside one of the maze's walls, as the texture and color was the same, but it was carved out to act like a prison cell. Now that my vision was cleared and I had a better view of the room, I saw there was a torch flickering just outside, giving the cell a warm, orange light. There were tight metal bars over there, but the spaces would be too closed for me to squeeze though them as a fairy. The door to the right of the bars led straight to the outside, where the lizalfos I heard earlier were. There were two guarding either side of the cell, while the rest were at a long stone table, feasting and celebrating. There was also a small group of moblins and diara too, warming themselves by a campfire out of the way. Among the smell of fire, they were also roasting things too. It smelled hot and delicious, and some of it overcooked. They also weren't celebrating as much as the lizalfos were, which would explain why I couldn't really hear them earlier.

The wound was still raw and agrivated. I pressed my hand against it, and was surprised when I noticed for the first time it was wrapped in clean cloth. "What happened?" I asked, bringing my attention back to the children still staring at me.

There were six of them, four boys and two girls, and they exchanged uncomfortable glances before the first boy I saw answered. "We don't know. I was playing outside with my sister when two monsters jumped out of some plants and took us away. It sounds like the other kids had something like the same thing happen to them, for no reason. I didn't even know they were taken away too until we were already thrown in here. Then, while the sun was still setting hours ago, they opened the door and dropped you off here."

"They were really excited after that." The other girl spoke, though shyly and staring down at her twindling fingers. "When they left you here, you were really quiet and you never moved. We stayed away, but there was a lot of blood showing through the wrap. I was thinking you were dead, or at least, dying."

"They wouldn't have thrown a dead guy in a cell, Rosy." A different boy answered.

Then she coward, jumping a little and sounding like she wasn't trying to cry. "I was just... Scared. I didn't know what to think."

The children continued to talk among themselves, about their parents, how they were taken, and other things. But once again, I was swallowed by my own mind. Why am I still alive? Why didn't they kill me on the spot, and most of all, why did they bandage me up? I didn't have answers to any of this, but I was beginning to feel like I would rather be dead than go through whatever they were planning next.

I turned back towards outside and flinched; all of my equipment and belongings were on that table! "Those don't belong to you!" I yelled, again reeling in pain when I was attempting to scramble to my feet. My reaction scared the kids silent, and they backed up, a few crying while others were unsure. I fell back to the floor, clenching the bandage. I didn't want to cause more damage than there already was. Now was as good time as any to cast "life", and luckily, I didn't need the scroll to remember how to cast it anymore.

I closed my eyes and tried to turn off my anger, at least for a little while, and focus. It took me a long time to settle down, as I was roused by my fears and pain. But finally, I was overtaken by the familiar warmth, and the agony slowly faded away. I pressed again my hand to the wound, but the gash was gone, it was as if the injury never happened.

This time I stood up without struggle and made my way to the door. The lizalfos had everything, all of my weapons and tools I was given as well as the ones I found on my first quest to save the princess. I brought my hand up around my neck, seeking the pendent she gave me, but they had stolen that as well.

"Hey!" I yelled at them again. "You Monsters, you have no right to any of that stuff!"

Eyes shifted over to the cell, and everyone froze. The air quickly became uncomfortable and dead quiet, and now I regretted I let my anger take the better of me. But it was too late now, I wasn't backing off.

One of the lizalfos at the table, this one with well built muscles and dressed in finer colors than the rest, as he was probably the chief, stood up and stared at me for quite the while before speaking. "Fellow kin and other alliances alike," He began, waving his arms on either side of him, trying to catch everyone's attention. "I bring to you the hero, Link! Not only the most hated enemy of our lord, Ganon, but the only one who was able to beat him in a fight!" At this, all the lizalfos created an uproar, hissing, yelling, and pounding on the table. "And here," The chief spoke above the ruckus. "We caught him with our plan and teamwork!" His scaly arms fell again at his sides and he added more quietly. "We're the greatest of Ganon's army, as we're the only ones who managed to catch him."

The chaos among the monsters mixed together and became muffled in my mind. The jumping and pounding slowed down and spun in an unbelievable vortex. How did this happen? How am I going to get out of this? Do I even have a chance? Even worse, the fear for my life held me in place. I was completely paralyzed. And if I wasn't, I wanted to move back inside the cell again, away from these beasts, but my legs wouldn't move.

I took me a long time to even notice one of the boys were trying to catch my attention. He spoke to me and when that wasn't working, he tugged on my tunic. Somehow, that broke my frozen state enough for me to look down at him. Light from the torches outside shown on him, revealing how dirty and scraped up he really was. Then, giant blue eyes met mine. "I've heard about you." He gasped. "Everyone says you're a great hero who helps with any kind of crisis. They say you rescued the princess when she was taken away."

"Link?" Another child spoke aloud. "I've heard of him too. Does that mean you're here to save us? Are you taking us back home?"

But I had nothing to say. I wanted to show certainty, I wanted to give them hope, or at least, a smile. But in the end, I offered nothing and looked away again. I didn't know if I could save myself from this place, let alone the kids. My hope was fading quickly, and I didn't even have the courage to give them false hope. I could almost hear the young hearts breaking as I turned away, saying nothing. I squeezed my eyes shut like that would help me ignore the sniffling and sobbing behind me.

It didn't work. And before I had the chance to control it, water slipped past my eyes, ran down my cheeks, and pattered against the stone floor. "I-I'm sorry," I managed. I tightened my grip against the door, trying to steady myself and stop the shaking, but all that did was hurt my now bare hands. "I don't know what to do. I'm afraid."

I felt the boy pat his hands on my arm comfortingly. "All of us are." He replied, and I turned to him again, opening my eyes. He smiled weakly. "But you're the hero, if anyone can help us out of here, it's you! Surely there's something in your adventures you learned that can help?"

I was still without answer. I couldn't even try to think of one. Instead, I turned yet again to the monsters outside. The lizalfos chief was busy bragging and making a scene about their achievement, and either they knew they were making the other races mad, or they simply didn't care. The moblins and dairas in the back by the campfire stared at the crazed lizalfos silently, almost like they were brooding how to exact revenge for their humanity. But that is when I saw something here was not quite right.

A single moblin was making his way to the lizalfos chief, and even when he stood by the table, none of them addressed or even noticed him. My breath caught in my throat, and I began to choke when I recognized it was Tog! "If you think you're so great for capturing the hero, then why haven't you sent for the whizzrobes yet?" He asked, raising his scratchy voice above the clambering. All the lizalfos, including the chief, slowed their cheer and glared at him. Tog wasn't fazed, he folded his arms and patiently waited for an answer. What was he doing here? He seemed serious, like he knew what he was talking about. Have I been wrong about him all this time?

"Or do they even know he's been captured?" He asked further.

The chief finally spoke. "Look at him, he's not going anywhere! We're in the middle of a celebration here!"

"So you admit you just want to hold him for bragging rights?"

"Bragging rights?" The chief gawked and bent over until he was inches from Tog's face. "I think you're jealous. Not only have the moblins done nothing for Lord Ganon, but you in particular have fallen to the lowest possible rank among your kind. You're nothing but a hindrance! I'm surprised your team hasn't kicked you out for your betrayal!"

Tog snapped. "I didn't betray anyone! I told them we needed to let the prince go, lest the hylians bring war upon us!" Then he folded his arms yet again. "If anything, I saved all of our hinds. I should be rewarded, not exiled."

Was he serious? He only helped me save the prince that time because he feared of war? I thought he was my friend, I thought I could trust him. I've known him for years, we shared meals and stories! No, I refuse to believe this. He's just tricking them to think like he does, he's here to save me, to save all of us.

"Keep thinking that, you impostor." The chief replied, standing straight. "I still think your actions are questionable, no matter what you say."

"That's not important. But for all of our sakes, let's wait no longer for the return of Lord Ganon. Tell the whizzrobes to prepare for the ritual."

Then my stomach churned, and the ground caused waves beneath my feet. My heart was racing, and my face ran empty of blood. The prince was right! Tog has been so patiently waiting for my trust. He was tricking me all along. The hurt ran deep through my soul, I was betrayed, and now there was nothing to save me from dooming Hyrule. Tog worked with them, and they were preparing for the ritual. Was there really nothing I could do?


	32. A Chance for Escape?

**Chapter 32**

 **A Chance for escape?**

The chief glared at Tog, still dripping with anger. "Well?" Tog asked patiently, crossing his arms and waiting for an answer. "Are we going to tell the whizzrobes he's here or not?"

"Fine," Said the chief, still dripping with anger. Then he turned and pointed to the end of the table. "You all, run along and tell them to prepare and we'll bring Ganon's murderer with us shortly." The lizalfos stood from the table, slouching and upset as they left past the stone walls, leaving just a few others here at the camp. Then, the scaly finger rounded back to Tog. "And for you, stay out of my way. The next time you tell me what to do, I'll send you into exile myself!"

Tog nodded and moved back, not returning to his group by the campfire, but just standing by the table. Then, the lizalfos chief picked up a set of keys and marched toward the cell door. I still half expected Tog to do or say something to stop him, or at the very least, give me some sort of hint of what I was supposed to do next. But he didn't. He just stood there, staring at me.

The chief was at the door now, unlocking it with the keys, and still, Tog never flinched. The door swung open with a high screech, and I allowed my arms to fall limp by their sides. I caught a small glimpse of a few of the kids running to the back of the cell, probably huddling together, but in this time, I didn't think too much of it.

He held his sword pointed to me, and beckoned me to step out. But I didn't move, I would rather die right here than meet with the whizzrobes. "Come on," The chief remarked. "They're waiting for us."

"No," I said back, my voice showing more of a tremble than I wanted it to. "You're going to have to kill me right here."

He barked and edged the sword in closer, threatening at first. This was it, my last stand. I tried not to tremble, as I wanted to bring my dignity to the grave with me. I'm sorry I wasn't quite the hero you thought me to be, Zelda. "Suppose it doesn't matter." The chief answered finally. "We can make that work!" Then he lunged.

But he flinched before the sword reached my chest. His eyes were nearly popping out of his head, and his long mouth was fully open as he silently screamed. I was confused when he dropped to his knees before burying his head in the dirt in front of my feet. He had been stabbed, blood pooled from a nasty hole in his back, and Tog stood with the bloody dagger behind him.

Before I could even process what was happening, all of Ganon's minions were yelling and racing for Tog. He reacted immediately, grabbing my sword from the table and tossing it to me. My confusion slowed me, and I managed to catch the sheath before letting it drop clumsily to the floor. By the time I was retrieving it, a lizalfos was approaching with his arm pulled back before a swing of his mace. I had to duck past the first swing, then, with my sword back in my grip, I returned the attack. It came dangerously close to his elbow before it smacked against his shield. He jumped safely back, but I didn't follow, instead, I shot at him, grazing him by the neck before he blocked the rest.

I wished I could reach my shield next, but right now it was impossible. I tried to glance quickly at Tog, but I only saw a flurry of action before I needed to turn back to the lizalfos. He lashed his tongue at me before leaping back in with a low horizontal strike. I had no choice but to parry. The mace was heavy and hard to stop, but I did so without injury, then was my turn to counter. I dug the edge of the blade near his shoulder before kicking him in the stomach, pushing him back again. And before I could strike again, a rain of rocks and pebbles started to fall over him. I turned and saw it was the children picking up and throwing whatever they could find near the entrance to the cell. The lizalfos flinched and I took the chance and dropped him to the ground.

Now I had a clear shot for the table, I dashed and took up my shield and aimed to help Tog with the horde crowded around him. I pummeled the first monster I was closest to, this one a daira, and the stubborn creature only filled with rage from the hit and returned with a heavy axe. I leapt back, and the axe continued its swing until it stuck in the back of another lizalfos. Then I danced around to the other side and pushed in my own weapon into the daira's side.

With those two gone, I could now fight side by side with Tog. "Are you all right?" He asked, sliding his spear forward into the gut of another moblin.

"I'm fine now, thanks." I answered. The last word buried under a loud hiss from a lizalfos. I pushed my shield forward, knocking his mace away.

"Good, I was worried there for a minute when you gave up to the chief." He countered the lizalfos I blocked. "You could've given me more time!"

I had nothing to give but an apology. I was too embarrassed to tell him that I was buying his act. Not only that, but after our years of friendship, I didn't want to hurt him by telling him the truth, that I was giving up, that I didn't think he was there to save me.

He didn't say anything after that, He just parried and stabbed away, and I helped. Dancing along with his attacks, doing the best I could to block his openings and strike when he's blocking mine. I jabbed at the last daira in this corner, then spun. I saw there were only a few enemies left, just a few more moblins and one more lizalfos. They weren't too hard to take down, and even the children came back to help. I saw the older ones bringing by some pots that were by the table, and they crept slowly up. The lizalfos never saw it coming, as it was too busy fighting with me. The pot flew and cracked into a billion pieces as it collided with the beast's head. Then the children scouted for their next target. As I turned, some of the remaining monsters were fleeing the scene, while Tog was already finishing up his fight with the one who stayed.

"Quick, grab your things!" He called as his last opponent fell and others were scampering out of sight. "We need to get out of here before the alarm is sounded!"

I reacted immediately, rushing to the table and strapping on my stolen equipment. As I was working on that, I saw a ladder leaning against the wall I haven't really noticed before. It occurred to me that this was how the lizalfos climbed on top of the maze's walls. It looks like this place has been their hideout for a while.

But right now, none of that mattered. I spun toward the children and called to them, beckoning them to follow, then I reached for Zelda's pendent now safely around my neck again. "Take us out of this place." And right as I finished the command, the silver beam obeyed, racing out ahead of us. "I'll take the lead now." I called to Tog, and he fell behind the children without question.

I raced ahead with a light jog and followed every path the beam took. And with every turn, I expected monsters waiting for us, to take us all back to the beginning. But so far, every corner was empty. The maze returned to its normal silence. Still, we took no chances and we didn't slow down.

Even before the monsters more likely dragged me deeper in here, I was walking down this maze for a good long time. This place was huge, and if we didn't have the pendent to help us out here, we might not have stood a chance of escaping. Our efforts would be useless.

Like before, the silence began to eat me alive, and I grew nervous. I wanted to hide somewhere, because while we were in a gigantic maze, I felt like we were sitting in the open, like they were already watching us. It was only a matter of time before they find us, besides, this was territory they were familiar with. I stared up at the walls, maybe they were already up there, just trying to find the best angle to shoot at us.

But still, nothing came. Were we safe now? I continued to jog as I looked back. All the children were running close behind, and Tog behind them, watching them carefully. Good, everyone was still here.

Time passed uneventfully. We had passed the boiling pool of acid bubbles, so we all had painful burns, but I knew this place. I've been here before, so we must be close to the exit! The children were growing tired, so we slowed our pace a little, to my dismay. All I wanted was to place as much space between me and those whizzrobes as possible. To think, once the children are back home, I would need to return to this cursed place. Even if the maze was entirely empty, I'm not sure if I would want to, not after my near failure here. After a while, I felt like I was walking in slow motion. The rock walls on either side of us moved at a snail's pace, even though I continued to march one foot in front the other. The ground was sliding under my feet, like it was pulling me backwards to the whizzrobes' ceremony.

"Listen," Tog spoke from behind us, making me jump just from the sound of his voice. I turned to him. He was stopped, and staring upward at the sky. "It's the ocean, we're almost to the bridge." He was right, I could hear the waves splashing up against the island. We're almost free!

Then suddenly, at a single sound, I was frozen, stiff with fear and growing sick. It was the billowing rumble of a horn. At once, the children began screaming and Tog was crying orders for us to run. My heart began racing, and as I leaned forward and scrambled as quickly as I could, I saw the lizalfos. He was standing way ahead of the path, up on the wall, of course.

It took no time at all for a following charge coming up behind us. They were the lizalfos who were sent for the whizzrobes before the battle broke out, and they were followed by the few monsters that fled. And of course, more monsters were scrambling up on the walls, keeping up and throwing rocks at us. As I ran, I healed my wounds so I could return fire. Now that I wasn't surrounded by monsters at every angle, I could keep running and just focus on the attackers on the wall. I held my shield close, bouncing off rocks thrown in front of me.

But that wasn't the only threat, as a robed form suddenly appeared ahead. My stomach flipped again, it was a whizzrobe! It began to cast its magic, twisting its arms around a few times before throwing something invisible down the path. I had hesitated too long. The energy exploded in a rush of fire, and I called a warning to my friends behind me as I brought up my shield. Any other shield would have smoldered to a pile of ash instantly, and while the shield held, the wave of energy was great, and it overtook me.

Like a rock in the middle of a rushing stream, the fire energy exploded all around me, then caved in and hugged the sides. I remember intense heat, and a burning pain that sent me tumbling down. But luckily, the fire didn't stay once I hit the floor. Something grabbed me, and I turned, moving to punch them as I had dropped my sword. It wasn't the whizzrobe, but Tog, and he was quickly pulling me to my feet.

I took the sword and half ran, half stumbled down the hall again. The children were ahead now, but I was catching up with them, trying to protect them from the thrown stones. The whizzrobe was now gone, but I knew it was just a matter of seconds for it to appear somewhere else.

But finally, the turn after this hall was the bridge leading out! We just need to run away a little while longer. "To the woods! We can lose them there!" Tog cried, hurrying the children along. It's a good thing too that we were so close, because there were a few whizzrobes appearing around us now. At least there were no more walls for the monsters to stand on now.

I had been running in front so far, so I didn't have to fight with those who were catching up, but I was looking back and helping Tog where I could, but now, my sword didn't shoot anymore beams. Instead of healing myself again, I had an idea. I brought out the scroll for the fire spell. I haven't used this yet, and now was a good time to.

I read what was on the scroll again and again, tuning myself into focus. Even the reappearing whizzrobes couldn't distract me, not anymore. I dodged their attacks and continue to read the scroll until I grew very familiar with it, then, I rolled it back up in the pouch and recited it from memory, pulling myself into an even deeper level of focus.

Honestly, I was surprised I eventually casted it. New spells were always difficult for me, and I didn't expect for it to work this time. But I knew it did. The hilt of my sword became warm, like it keeping the power of fire encased in its blade. Time to test it out. I pointed to the nearest whizzrobe, and imagined the trapped fire setting free. The tip of the sword glowed hot red for just a second before the burst shot straight out with a roar. The whizzrobe panicked as the robe it wore instantly exploded in flames. It made a short attempt to pat it out before it decided to teleport away. Then I turned and shot for the group of monsters chasing us.

"Quick, to the trees!" Tog yelled again as we stepped off the bridge back into the grass. Still in the lead, I darted for the safety of the woods, twisting and turning past trees and bushes, making my own path as I go along.

Finally, once we were in the thick of the woods, I crouched down behind a wide tree and the others did the same. The group of monsters were splitting up, looking for us. The plan worked! We were safe, for now anyway.


	33. A Chance to Breathe

**Chapter 33**

 **A Chance to Breathe**

We snuck silently through the woods, hoping not to catch the attention of the monsters still looking for us. We have decided to play it safe and head north, where we would remain by the woods for a while before returning back to the road.

There were a few times when we had to fight with a few of the seekers, but they never had the chance to raise the alarm. Even the whizzrobes must've given up, as we didn't see anymore of those. Once we were convinced we lost them for good, we crawled out of the trees, back into an open clearing. My heart was still racing, and I trembled, but we were safe now, and that gave me a little bit of comfort.

"I wonder if they're still looking for us in there." Tog mumbled, glancing back at the now peaceful flock of trees. I said nothing, as I was just now catching up with my surroundings. It was late in the night, which helped us with our escape. The stress and chaos has melted away into a beautiful night, like nothing ever happened. Crickets chirped all around us, and the white light of the moon combined with the gentle chilly breeze was soothing and refreshing.

The children have stayed silent and followed orders since we left the cell, and just now, one of the girls spoke up. "Does this mean we can go home now?"

And the question was answered by Tog. "Yes, you're all freed, but we won't go home tonight. I think we'll head straight there first thing in the morning." At that, all the kids began to grumble at once. Tog gave them a minute to express their disappointment before he replied. "It's too dark out to travel safely, and we all, especially all of you, have had a long and stressful night. Let's just rest until day. We'll be more awake and ready to go home then." After they stopped the complaining and complied, Tog turned and began seeking flat, dry ground for them to rest on.

But a young boy remained where he was, looking up at him. "Excuse me," He asked, his voice piped up to catch Tog's attention. He turned, regarding the child with a curious expression. But now that he was standing there, waiting for a response, the kid suddenly became shy. He looked down, bringing his hands in front of him and twindling his fingers. "I was just wondering... Why are you helping us? I thought moblins were mean."

And at that, the other kids turned around, like they also wondered how the Tog would reply, but he didn't look offended, instead, he gave a light chuckle in return. "You're right, many of them are mean. But I never supported Ganon. He's just a selfish monster, destroying innocent towns and lives, and he never cared about us anyway. Personally, I don't know how he has so many minions, I guess they just serve him out of fear. But because I didn't respond to him like many others do, my own kin treated me like a traitor, even those I thought I trusted. I couldn't live like that, so I decided to go on my own way. I like that better."

"I've never known a nice moblin, but I'm glad you helped us. Thank you."

Tog's gaze softened, like he was touched by the child's kind words. "It was my pleasure." He sniffed lightly, then turned back to the others. "Anyway, we should set up camp before the sun rises. Give me a hand, will you?" He asked me.

So I helped to spread out whatever we had in our travel gear to comfort them. After they crawled in the warm bedrolls and we fixed up a fire to ward the chilliness away, Tog and I stayed awake a while longer, sitting on logs and feeding the fire. We sat in a time of silence, listening to the embers pop and watching the red light flicker and wave. I found myself gazing into the fire until it burned my eyes. In my head, I could hear the voices of the whizzrobes, and the very same light dancing before me was burning for their ceremony; the revival of their king, Ganon.

They were ready, all they needed was my blood, and then the destruction of Hyrule would begin all over again. Except for this time, I wouldn't be there to challenge him. If it wasn't for Tog, this would have happened. I was useless! And here, I was supposed to be the hero. The fearless, strong man who is able of escaping on his own. I was nothing but a coward.

"You must be tired too." Tog said, glancing up at me while he poked at the logs. I snapped back into the present and returned the gaze. He smiled a toothy, moblin grin. "Just as I thought, I'm surprised you haven't fallen over from your seat! You should rest while you have the chance." There was an explosion of sparks coming from the logs he was poking at, like they were reluctant to giving in to the fire and offering one last complaint. Tog shrugged, leaning back and throwing the stick he was using into the fire as well. "Don't worry about it, I have some energy left. I'll stay on watch while you and the kids sleep."

I thought about the offer for just a second before deciding that I wouldn't be able to sleep anyway. "Thanks, but I'm doing fine."

Tog wasn't in the least convinced. He glared at me sternly. "I can tell from here you're not fine. I'm changing my mind, this isn't an offer, I'm going to insist this one." He said, standing up and pointing at a clear space near the kids.

I shook my head, amazed at how much I could have doubted him, even for the few minutes I did. "What's going to happen now?" I asked as the question came to my mind. "To you and your kin? You were already struggling with their trust, and after this, they know your true colors for sure. There's no way you can go back to them after what you did for us."

He lowered his arms and relaxed, regarding the question in full. "I don't know," He answered honestly. "But I already knew I would be betraying them for good. And still, I chose it. After I heard the news they caught you, I couldn't pretend I didn't and do nothing. I needed to do all I can to help, even at the costs." He sighed and crossed his arms, staring down at the fire like he was seeking inspiration for his next thoughts. "But I don't know what will come next. I suppose, in the end, I'll always have you and the prince by my side. But honestly, I would like to be accepted among the hylians. I would like to walk safely in their towns and visit with the people. You remember what the prince of Hyrule said before I left? He said I would always be welcome in his kingdom. I would like that more than anything else, but I also want to be a part of it without causing fear."

I couldn't hide the chuckle when I heard that last part. "I don't think that'll be a problem. I'm sure you're well on your way of being accepted by the hylian people, starting when you helped the children. They're grateful for what you did, and they're not afraid."

He laughed and looked back at the row of bedrolls. "Yeah, I suppose you're right, maybe." And when he turned back to me, he was back to being stern. "Anyway, you distracted me. Go on to sleep now."

There was no point in arguing further. I was still thinking I couldn't sleep if I tried, but at the same time, sitting here has finally showed me how tired I was. I stood up and slowly moved past the campfire and Tog. He said back down in front of the fire as I rolled out my own bedroll and curled up in it. It was a lot colder over here, and the ground was hard, but I found a little bit of comfort in the cloth covering me. I closed my eyes and listened to the sounds around me, trying to distract my mind on something other than the fears that overwhelmed me a while back.

* * *

Surprisingly, sleep took me quickly that night, even though it was riddled full of nightmares still. When I finally awoke, it was late in the day, almost noon. Tog was here still as well, and he was fixing breakfast. I stood up and joined him, and once the food was ready, we woke the kids up and ate.

The children were excited and full of energy, they finished their meal quickly and were more than ready to head home. But they had to be patient, as we still needed to pack up the camp. "I was wondering, Link," Tog began as he was finishing up his meal. "If I should take the children home. I was thinking about our conversation last night, and you're right, I think they'll be fine with that. And that'll also allow you to continue for the Maze Palace, because otherwise, you'll be taking more time than you need for this and you'll still need to come all the way back."

I had to pause to think about that for a minute. I knew what he was preposing was smarter, but I just didn't want to think about going back into the maze. What if I'm captured again? What if they're still in there? I would rather go along with them to Darunia and not ever have to worry about coming back, but I knew I still needed to find the Maze Palace, and I doubt I could find a different way to enter it.

"Don't worry, they were just there to set up a trap using the children." Tog said, like he was reading my thoughts. "I know them, and more than likely they are already filing out of that place, trying to come up with a different strategy."

I hoped he was right, I thought.

"Listen, I don't know what happened, but you've always been the most fearless man I've known, and back there, I saw you give up. I didn't ever think I'd see that, especially in front of all those lizalfos."

At that, a rush of shame raced it's way through my body, and I looked away. "Oh, no, I didn't... I mean..."

"Forgive me," He interrupted, a glimpse of sympathy crossing his eyes. "That came out too harsh. You are not weak, I know you will find the Triforce, and you will do it and live! You saved the kingdom six years ago, and no one thought it was possible, but you did it. And now, you have more experience. Ganon and his minions should be the ones fearing you! Not the other way around!"

"But, to be honest, I'm not sure how I did it the last time. And that was so long ago. I've been having these weird dreams where Ganon is the final guardian guarding the Triforce."

His eyes perked and he regarded what I said in all seriousness. "Ganon's been showing up in your sleep? Whoa, that's horrible! So do you believe them, do you think, somehow, he's waiting for you at the end?"

I shook my head, the notion of hearing that out loud came out as more ridiculous as ever. "No, not really. But I've been having them a lot lately, and Rebonack warned me that my quest will be more difficult, that I will be challenged further than I ever have been. So that, coupled with those dreams, I guess I played on that idea for a while. But in the end, I don't think there's a chance he's there."

"I agree, the only way Ganon can come back to this world is if his minions succeed in killing you. And trust me, that'll never happen, well, it'll ever happen if you give up. So believe me when I tell you; never give up, Link!"

But that brought a question to mind. "But why didn't they kill me? Why did they bother bringing me back to the camp?"

He scoffed. "That chief is arrogant, that's why. He wanted to parade around the camp with his trophy, that's the only reason I can think of. I mean, you saw how I challenged him on why he didn't even bother telling the whizzrobes he had you. And I count us on being very lucky for that arrogance."

"You're right, if it would have been someone else, I would be dead right now, for sure."

Tog shrugged, standing up and brushing the crumbs from his clothes. "Maybe, maybe not. It was a close encounter with death, but you don't need to read too much into it. There would be no point, good or bad, to dwell on the what ifs."

"You know, you're very wise, especially for a moblin." I laughed, then pushed up from my seat on the log. "I'm sorry I doubted you back there, even if it was for just a moment."

He shrugged it off. "I understand, and I'm not bothered by it."

"Can we go now please?" One of the boys cried from several feet away. "We want to go home."

"Yes, we'll leave here very shortly." Tog answered back. "Just give me one moment." Then he turned back and offered his last piece of advice. "You'll be fine, and don't worry about it too much. Just know that the whizzrobes are very powerful, they're the most powerful magic-users in Hyrule, and very few others can do what they do. Magos tend to only specialize in fire magic, and even hylian wizards, unless strengthened by some other dark force, cannot cast spells so choatic and evil. Just be careful and don't give up."

I thanked him and helped to pack up camp, then, when all was done here, he gathered up the children. "I'll see you around." He wished the farewell, then they picked up the pace, heading west. And here once more, I was alone, standing in the midst of what remained of a campsite. And still, the only thing I wanted to do next was to chase them down and join them.

The talk we shared helped me become a little more confident, even if all I did was just show him these things I've been struggling with silently. But I still felt the sickness in my core, I couldn't even turn back to look in the direction of the maze, like that alone would ring the sirens to the monsters again. Do this for Zelda, I thought to myself, if you do it for nothing else. I spun around, falling into a daydream of our best times together.

I could see her, she was speaking to me with her sweet, soft voice. I just wanted to listen to the sound of it, so I missed what she was saying to me. But she started to point away at some landmarks, as I then remembered we were outside the castle, looking across the green Hyrule in its beauty of late spring. The breeze was so real, the refreshing chill took my breath away and then tasseled her red hair. She smiled, her face turning a little pink. It carried the scent of fully bloomed flowers.

Everything was peaceful. The kingdom was prospering, and few monsters troubled themselves with towns, and most of all, Zelda was awake and fine. It occurred to me how much I took these times for granted. For many years, I was often running around the land, seeking thrill and adventure. But now, I wanted those quiet times back. And this time, I will take them for granted no more, I promised. And finally, I opened my eyes.

And saw only the trees.

 **Author's Note: It's been a long time since I uploaded, I'm sorry about that. I'm recovering from a big move, and I still don't have internet at my place. I'm not going to be able to post as often as I used to, but don't worry, I'll post as often as I can. We'll see how that goes. As a matter of fact, since I've been gone so long, I'm posting two chapters for you guys today. Thank you for your patience. I'll see you later!**


	34. Palace of the Cloaked Wizards

**Chapter 34**

 **Palace of the Cloaked Wizards**

The bridge leading to the maze seemed to increase, becoming twice as long as it was before, and the island twice as sinister. Every step was a fight for me, and I tried not to tremble, even though I still jumped at every sound. But so far, everything was quiet, even after I entered the maze.

But I still stood, right at the entrance, listening and watching for anything suspicious. I remained there for a long time until I was on the edge of paranioa. Then, I finally decided to continue.

I whispered to the pendent as not to be heard, and still winced when the beam obeyed, pointing for the palace. I strongly prayed that no one would see the light, and for a second I was thinking to cancel the command. But the sooner I reach the palace, the better, I didn't want to be stuck here for too long. And maybe Tog was right, I told myself. Maybe the monsters already left. And the further I walked, the more I wanted to believe that.

At one point, I even walked with my sword and shield in hand, even though nothing changed. It was shortly after this when the ocean waves faded out behind me again, like the maze was swallowing me up and locking me here. Now I was stuck once more with the maddening silence. No birds, no waves, no anything. Just the blood rushing in my ears loud and clear, filling in the void for anything else. Even with the bright sun falling through the maze paths, the place still seemed dark and dangerous.

But finally, after what felt like a lifetime, I came across the last turn. The tall spires of the Maze Palace were almost black and had swirls and runes that meant nothing to my knowledge. The palace was narrow to better fit in this corner of the island, but it made up for that by stretching into the sky, and like the others, I'd bet most of it was underground as well. I stood there for some time looking up at the top piercing the sky.

I barely even noticed the light from the pendent shrinking down to nothing. And so, with Rebonack's voice echoing one more time in my head, I stepped up to the dark patio and onto the magic elevator and waited for it to move down. The inside of the palace was as dark as it was outside, but this one was surprisingly well kept. I knew it had to be as old as the other ones, but the walls were clean and still held together, and the windows further up were even decorated with shining stained glass. The elevator stopped on the floor, and left me standing before a huge locked door at the top of some stairs. This was really different from what I was expecting, as the last few temples were worn with time and conditions. I even had to crawl out of the last elevator.

But nothing stirred, even the air remained still. And that door was the only direction to go to, where was the rest of the temple, and where is the key that opens this door? I looked about the chamber carefully until I found my answer; the wall to the left of the elevator was cracked slightly and looked different from the other walls. I took my sword and stabbed at the wall repeatedly with all my strength until it began to crumbled further. The dark wall became weak and soon fell in a heap covered in a sudden dust cloud. It swelled and caught it in my lungs as well as my eyes. I shook the dust away and tried to see beyond the brown particles like fog in the air. The wall was indeed hollow and a long dirt tunnel was behind it.

It continued forward and slowly sank down, was it even in the palace, or was it simply a tunnel nearby? I turned to look at the door behind me. I didn't have much of a choice, seeing the door was locked. I turned back to the tunnel and went through the dirt passage with my candle. It didn't seem to belong to the palace and after every few steps, I felt like I should turn back, but my curiosity kept me going until I came to the end.

The dark dirt passage widened into the size of a small room that stretched far forward in front of me, and I had to look twice to see the rest of the way from here had no floor! I held the candle over the void and tried to see the other side, if there was one.

It was hard to see in the chamber even with the magical light, but I thought I did see ground far ahead. My first thought was to cast "jump", but the distance was a long one, even for the spell. As I looked about nervously trying to decide if I should jump or not, I noticed light that seeped through a small opening in the wall to my right. What was this? I froze as I then heard voices on the other side. There were creatures of some sort past that wall, should I dare look? Deciding it was best to try, I approached the wall and looked in.

The light came from a bright sphere in the center of a large dirt chamber, and figures in long white robes were gathered around it. They were all covered in the same robes that fell over their entire bodies, and a red cross was stretched where their faces would be. They stood nearby in a circle around the light and the robes were outstretched like they held their arms up to their sides. "…Someone has entered the palace." Said one in a deep voice, and he and the rest of them returned their arms back down and turned at each other.

"Do you believe it's the chosen one?" Asked another. They didn't sound inhuman. Who were these people? And why were they here in the palace? I've only seen monsters in these places.

"I don't know," The first one admitted. "But even if it is, we still have a job to do. Protect the palace from outsiders, and give the chosen one a challenge to show his worth and either he dies and the Triforce of Courage will remain hidden, or he'll become stronger and find it."

The others seemed to be in agreement, but one was distracted, and looking this way. "Wait, what's that light?" He asked and pointed to the hole I was looking in, and the light he spoke of was of my candle. I was such an idiot! I quickly moved away from the wall and turned back to the gap in the floor. I had to act fast, they were onto me!

"Go check it out." The voice behind the wall replied. Looks like I have no choice but to try and leap over the pit. I exhaled and tried to relax after I casted the spell. Then I backed up as much as I could, but still was I intimidated by the long distance.

Finally, I pushed off from the wall, sprinted, and leaped! I worried for just a second about crashing into the ceiling, but I was still too far from reaching the other side. I reached out for the approaching ground and tried desperately to grab it, but it was too late.

I was trying not to scream real loud as the darkness rushed by. The only thing I could see beyond the dark veil were the flanks of the wall surrounding me. Then, to my horror, the candle slipped from my hands and the light fell below me for a while before it burned out.

But luckily, when the ground actually did rise up to greet me, the spell absorbed most of the shock upon landing on it, and I was lying on another dirt floor. Yet another cloud of dust puffed all around me. It was stagnite and dirty in here, and I would like to think it was still part of this natural cave, but it was still too dark to tell.

I lifted my head and saw my candle resting just a few feet away from me. I reached for it, but the floor began to crack and soon crumbled slowly around me. I scrambled to my feet and ran forward, grabbing my candle as I went, but the crumbling caught up to me and the ground left my feet. I held onto the ledge that was left, but that also fell apart in my fingers and I was falling yet again.

I landed on yet another dirt floor, and I quickly regained my senses and moved to my feet, thinking this floor would break as well, but this one was more solid, more stable. I was brushing off the dirt from my tunic when someone crept up to me.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?"

I turned around and saw one of the strange people in the long white cloaks. His face still remained completely hidden. He patiently waited for an answer.

I didn't know how to respond. No one in the palaces has ever stopped to talk with me before. They were followers of the guardian, challenging any who enters to a fight. They weren't supposed to do much else, why was he even bothering to talk to me?

Then suddenly, he gasped and backed off before exclaiming. "You... You're the chosen one! Ah, finally!" He cried happily. I suppose he noticed the now shining Triforce on the back of my hand. "We've been waiting for you for so long! For thousands of years as a matter of fact!"

For thousands of years? If he was indeed hylian, then there was some strong magic involved here, that or these were decendents of the first people here. "Who are you?" I asked. "Are you hylian?"

He regarded me for a second before answering vaguely. "We are the protectors of the Maze Palace. And now comes a test, Chosen One. I pray you give me a formidable challenge I could remember for all time." Then his robed arms slowly raised over his head.

"Do we have to fight? Wouldn't the battle with the guardian prove enough?" I asked, trying to stop whatever he was fixing to do. I found myself not wanting to fight this man to the death.

"We mustn't let the Triforce go into the wrong hands. It is what the old king wished long ago." He replied, not changing his mind or moving away. "Please, for both our sakes, do not go easy on me."

And so I was forced to draw my shield and sword. In all these dungeons and palaces, I've always faught monsters, or minions with evil intentions. But here it occurred to me, this man had to be hylian, and he was tied to the palace's rules more so than I was. He was innocent, and now I was forced to kill him. Even before either of us moved, my heart was racing, my conscience screaming. I was the hero on a quest, aiming to kill an innocent man!

Finally, he was ready for his first move.

He threw his arms in front of him before he merged into thin air. The spell he released was one of an unnatural wind with strong force. I tried to avoid it, but I was unprepared, and the wind that struck my legs flipped me over on the hard ground.

By the time I stood back up, he was back and he threw his hands above his head once more. I brought my shield in front of me and waited for the strong wind. I then rushed into the spell and it broke up on the barrier, Now I slashed at the wizard with my sword, but to my surprise, the blade went right through the cloak and he remained unharmed! He didn't even flinch from my attack and vanished from sight yet again.

What happened? Was he not human? "You can't be hylian!" I cried in frustration. "What are you?!"

But he didn't answer, and he didn't hesitate. Then I remembered what the wise man told me back in Darunia. The wizards in the Maze Palace were undefeated, only their own magic had the power of reaching them. This man is one of those wizards, I had forgotten!

But now this is going to be difficult. I needed to cast this new spell all the while dodging his attacks. I've struggled before with casting magic I knew in front of opposing groups. But maybe I had a chance since there was only one wizard? I had to try, my life depended on it.

It helped that my shield protected me from the magic he threw at me, unlike the whizzrobes' magic that erupted around it. And since this guy didn't have much in the ways of melee combat, I didn't have to dodge very much, all I needed to do was tp hold my shield out toward him. It took me a while to get it right, as it was still very distracting. But I kept to it, knowing I couldn't do anything else.

But then, the wizard changed his tactics. He started to disappear longer, but then reappear behind me where I couldn't see him. And instead of the wind magic, he was sending out bolts of lightening. They shot in several directions at once, and either broke on my shield, or cracked the ground dangerously close to me. I needed to seek cover, even just for a minute.

And so I dove for a nearby scrapped boulder, and focused hard again. The bolts cracked and boomed into the rock, but even so, my shield responded to the finished spell. It shined with a magical polish upon its surface that glowed white even in the dark tunnel.

Now with the spell casted, I crawled from the shelter and simply waited for the wizard to show himself. When he did, I held my shield up and he wasted no time to summon his magic my way again, and the strike bounced of my shield and rushed back to its master, cackling and dancing. It zapped right into him, and he recoiled silently. Why wasn't he screaming? Then, the robed figure flopped forward before he suddenly disappeared while still in the air. The long white cloak drifted to the ground.

My still confused head raced in utter shock. Where did he go? Is this another spell, perhaps a trick of some sort? Cautious, I approached the robe. But still nothing stopped me from picking it up. It looked like an ordinary cloak from what I could tell. But why did the wizard leave it here? If he was teleporting away like he was earlier, he would have took it with him. Unless this was a sign that I won?

None of this gave me any answer, so I had no choice but to move on. Holding onto the robe for now, I turned, scouring the ground for my missing candle. It didn't take me long to find it, as it was lying not far from where I landed. I sighed with relief when I picked it up, as I was worried it might be damaged. Luckily, it didn't look any different.

But before I lit the fire, I went back to the robe in my hands. Is it possible I could use this as a disguise? Would I be able to move along the tunnels, tricking them into thinking I'm one of them? It was worth a try, I suppose. Lifting it above my head, I let the robe fall over me. The head was actually a seperate piece from the rest of it, as I now realized that after it fell off and plopped on the dirt. I picked it back up and fitted it around my face. The robe was big and stuffy, and it was also way bigger on me than on any of the other wizards. But at the same time, I felt safe and hidden away, I only hoped it would confuse them, at least for a while.

I would still need the candle to continue though, as it was still pretty dark down here. Of course, this may also attract the wizards to my location, but as of the moment, I had no other choice unless I go on in the dark, and I wasn't about to trip down another black pit.

Now that the fire was lit and I could see better, I adjusted the fabric on my face. The cloth obstructed my vision quite a bit, but I was able to see enough to finally take in where I was. This was a small, flat arena. It wasn't anything impressive. There were, of course, the broken boulders lying around, and scattered pebbles and flying debris from the cracked ceiling where I came in. Ahead of me, the cave tightened into a dark tunnel. And so I continued on, hiding under a wizard's robe. Will the disguise work, or will I have to fight for survival as I hunted the next guardian? Only until my next encounter can I know for sure. I only prayed it wouldn't be too late if it didn't.


	35. Of Flesh and Blood

**Chapter 35**

 **Of Flesh and Blood**

The tunnel was short and quiet, too quiet, it was like the presence of the wizards was watching me here. I didn't like that feeling, and with all their magical abilities, I really hoped they weren't. If they were watching me now, does that mean they know where I am? I might not have a chance for escape. Obviously, I was still a little nervous despite the disguise I took. But then again, I'm still unsure if it'll work or not. Wizards are hard to fool, they may know immediately it's me.

The tunnel turned around and became a wider chamber, and then I was immediately blinded by a strong burst of light. After recovering, my heart skipped a few beats when I saw this place had more of the wizards wandering here! But none of them even seemed to notice me. Looks like it's working, at least, from a safe distance. I turned down the candle and put it away before taking in the room before me.

The light looked like it was coming from the ceiling, but there was no source there to bring that light. When not glancing up at the ceiling, it made it seem like the bright sky, like there wasn't a ceiling at all. Beyond that, this seemed to be the wizards' headquarters. There were desks and shelves everywhere, the latter of which were built right into the dirt walls. Old parchments and tomes took up both desk and shelf space, and I noticed more of the white robes were hanging in the far corner next to the desks.

Should I dare to explore this place, or would it be better for me to turn around? I don't think I have a choice, as I didn't see anywhere else I could go back there. I took a second to breath and relax, trying my best to blend in with the wizards.

They moved about slowly and gracefully. Some were at desks while others patrolled from the shelves to some other rooms of the chamber I haven't seen yet. I folding my arms before me and copied their slow walk. And I swore some of them looked to me, but still continued with their own business. I tried my best to remain calm. I wanted to explore this room and look for a way out of here, but I was worried I would look too suspicious if I did. No, I needed to look about while keeping busy doing what the wizards are doing.

And so, I slowly made my way for one of the far desks, even though there were rooms at the end of the wall that drew my interest. A few of the doors there were left open, and now that I was closer, I could see past them somewhat. They were small rooms, like they might be living quarters. But they may have been studies, because I could only see chairs and stacks of books. But then something interesting came to mind; why would they have individual studies when there were books and desks out here? I didn't see any beds, sources of food, or even personal belongings in there.

I was at the furthest desk by the hanging robes now. I glanced over the room. There wasn't much more here than I already speculated, although there was a hallway going by all the studies. I wonder if they have more chambers like this around here, maybe a dining area, or sleeping chambers?

Well, I was at the desk now, maybe this is the best chance to take a look at it too, just in case. The desk was actually made from a strong type of wood, but it was old and falling apart. But I noticed it was the same thing with the shelves. Some of the legs and corners were rotted and broken entirely, making some pieces unusable.

There was a small, rotting stool here too, but it looked unsafe to rest on. Taking yet another glance at the room, I saw there were indeed wizards sitting on them, perhaps it was stronger than it looked? I lowered myself slowly down on the stool... And as soon as I made contact with it, it creaked loudly in protest and shrank under me, like it was made of soft butter. I panicked, standing back straight and looking about to see if I caused any attention. A few of the wizards looked my way, but then went back to ignoring me. The stools hardly creaked under their weight, why was this one different?

I continued to search the desk while standing up. The contents of the counter were a mess. Pieces of paper were scattered everywhere. Some were in better condition than others, at least, it looked like a lot of these were still being used. Some of the better ones I could tell were spells or studies of something similar. And a lot of the papers I couldn't even read, as they were either in a language I didn't know, or were simply too old. But most of them were decorated with runes and swirls.

Those were the only items on the desk that seemed important, now should I check inside the drawers? Honestly, I was surprised when the drawer easily rolled open. I was expecting it to be totally stuck. In here were some leather bindings, but most of them matched with what was on the desk already. The only difference with these being full tomes rather than loose pages.

One by one, I stacked them on the desk until I came upon something that wasn't a tome. This one was a much smaller, black leather book. And this little book, more like a diary, looked to be the newest object here. I opened in at a random page. This was definitely a journal, and it was even written in the hylian I could read. But it looked like the writer was in distress when he wrote this page. The writing was very random, like broken pieces of thought, and each and every ink drop was a deep, well soaked stain. They were writing slowly, pouring emotion down on paper.

"I grow tired from it all, of every day walking down the same passages in the palace again and again… I will fulfill what my lord King wished of me, but I also wish for my own selfish desires to come true. If only I can leave this world in peace! It seems so long ago when he appointed this job to us, and while he said he didn't know how long it will be before the chosen one comes here, I didn't think it to take this long. I guess I underestimated the wait… I feel trapped! Oh, chosen one, set us free of this never ending life so I may take my place in the next world side by side with my long forgotten family and king!

Carock waits ever patiently for the time of truth like he holds all the patience of the world. He doesn't seem to mind it here at all. I am unaware of how much time I have spent here, but I am sure it has been several hundred years if not thousands! I just pray the chosen one will come soon. He must find the boots needed to reach the Ocean Palace, fight the guardian, Carock, and place the gem in its proper place to finally break us of this unending cycle…"

This was written by one of the wizards. What did he mean by leaving this world in peace? The entry stated he wanted to take his place in the next world. Were these people dead? That man I fought back before the tunnel, was he a ghost? That would explain why he disappeared. These wizards have been appointed to protect the palace, and have done so until death, but even then they've stayed until the need to protect it is no more. Obviously, he feels overwhelmed about being stuck here. He simply wishes to return to his family.

My heart grew heavy, these were innocent people indeed, dead or alive. I've never thought I'd meet such ordinary people in a place like this. It's sad they've been here so long, forgotten by the world, yet unable to join the next one.

"Did you lose something?"

I was shocked back into reality, shutting the journal close and dropping it on the desk. Without noticing it, one of the wizards have came up to check on me.

Quickly, I glanced around for a good excuse as to why I was here. "Uh, yes!" I exclaimed, trying my hardest to come up with something quickly, while not appearing suspicious. I believed I was failing. "M-my spell, but I'm looking…" I went to grab a random parchment from the still open drawer, as that was all that remained under the diary. Then I held it up for him to see before closing the drawer. "Found it, and thank you for asking." I walked around the desk, aiming to leave as soon as possible, but I didn't get too far before he stepped in front of me.

The red cross covering his face stared into my lying eyes. "Are you feeling all right?"

I froze. Despite my attempts, he was already suspicious of me. "I feel fine, why do you ask that?"

"Something seems different…" He replied, not moving an inch.

I was as good as caught, and I was standing in the midst of the hornets' nest! All what he had to do was call, and I would be overwhelmed by wizards, stuck in an near impossible fight to the death.

I didn't say much else, as I waited for what his next response would be, but seconds continued to pass and there wasn't one. So I reacted first, by trying to go around him. To my surprise, he didn't move to stop me this time, nor did he call for help. But I could feel his gaze boring into my back as I rushed away to the hall.

Once I was far enough and convinced he didn't plan to stop me, I slowed down and folded my arms, again moving like the wizards do.

That was too close, I don't know why he just let me go like that, but I was glad he did. Now what should I do next? The dairy said I have to find a set of boots in order to reach the next palace. So I have to be sure I find those before I fight Carock, the next guardian mentioned.

Then I realized I was still holding onto the paper I took from the desk. I took it from my sleeve and unraveled it, curious as to what I grabbed. It didn't give me a lot of information, but it was a spell simply called "Thunder". And from the directions, it looked like only a master could cast it. I wonder if this will help me in any way. It won't hurt me to hang onto it, I suppose. I mean, more than likely, I would never be able to cast it myself, but maybe it'll help me in some other way. I rolled it back and returned it to my sleeve for now.

I was now walking by more of these small studies, some were occupied with wizards mumbling to themselves as they were going through heavy tomes. If these people were already spirits, then that would explain why their rooms had no beds or anywhere to rest. And if that be the case, I probably won't see any dining areas either.

And as I walked by the rooms ignored, the passage ahead started to grow darker and darker. I was leaving the mysterious light from the ceiling behind me and entering more dark tunnels.

Now, the sound of the murmuring wizards was replaced with gentle trickling water, and my straight road was split in two, a choice on the left and one on the right. I turned to the left and saw a small underground pond. A slow, short waterfall streamed down from a hole in the wall and into the small round pond and I brought out my candle in an attempt to see how deep it was, but I still struggled to tell. Despite it being underground, the water was really quite clean.

I turned to my right, but there was absolutely nothing over there. The dark dirt road ran only a short distance before being stopped by a wall. I approached it and held my candle up to see about the quality of the wall, but it didn't look hollow. I placed the still lit candle on the ground and tried to remove my sword from the long robes I had on. I gripped the hilt and ran the blade into the wall anyway, but it was most definitely not hollow, for my strikes sounded muffled and low, and only a few pieces of earth fell to the ground. This, despite how suspicious it looked, wasn't a secret passage, so I quickly gave up on it and thought on what to try next.

After a while of scouring the room, I finally found a lever in the pond that I didn't notice the first time. Pulling it revealed a decending staircase in the suspicious corner. Now that I was left shivering from the cold water still on my skin, I picked the candle back up and headed down the stairs.

The stairs were made from dirt, and were tight and narrow against the walls. It decended far down, like I was heading for the center of the world. It went on just long enough for me to think I was in an endless loop, then I finally stepped down the last one.

The staircase led me to a tight corner, and from around to my right came a floating, familiar light. I let my candle burn out and then peeked around the corner. A wizard was sitting before a bright hovering sphere… This chamber and sphere looked really familiar to me. Was I back at the beginning? There was the pit in front of me, but I think I was on the other side of it now. The light was leaking through a crack on the other side. But how could I be here if I fell so far down and then took a descending staircase? The only logical explanation I could find was that I was in a palace full of wizards. I'm sure they had something to do about it.

Where do I go now? I wanted to see if there was anything important in the spaces of the room I couldn't see from where I stood, but at the same time, I didn't want a conformation with the wizard sitting there. But it's not like I should go back. What were my options? I can't stay here, I can't go back, and even if I could cross the pit, that would, or should, take me back to the very beginning.

While I was busy standing around undecided, the wizard sitting just around the corner stood up and came forward, like he was waiting for me. It was too late, there was no hiding or running from it now.

"Well?" He asked once he stopped.

I was trapped in yet another encounter. It was no use, I'll just have to play through it like I did last time. "Well, what?" I spoke quietly and regarded him with the same still pose.

"Did you find the intruder?" He responded patiently, unmoving.

I thought for a second. "No, not yet."

He tilted his head curiously, finally moving a little, even if it was just by a few inches. "Then, what are you here for?"

I didn't know how to answer, and I almost broke my still posture trying to think of one. I fought myself into standing still, then answering with the first thing that came to me. "I… What are you doing here?"

"I am waiting to see if the intruder would come to me. With everyone looking for him, I thought that this place should be watched as well."

Well, it worked, I thought with an inward sigh. These wizards were smart for sure, no wonder the old king picked them personally. I nodded slowly, showing him I understood. "Then I won't stop you. I'd better find my way to the others."

He returned the nod and began back to the sphere when he hesitated. Then he turned to me once more, again filled with curiousity.

His gaze made me uncomfortable. Turn around and run! Just go! But where should I run? There was nothing back behind me and I haven't found a new way forward yet. It was too late, I waited too long and now our gaze met. "Is… Is something wrong?" I asked.

"No… I'm not sure."

There it was, it was like he knew what I knew. Somehow, he was regarding me then like I wasn't one of the wizards. And yet, he was still confused. What was going on in his mind? Why was he so confused on what to do with me? What did he really know?

And Just after that, five more wizards came from a tunnel to the side I didn't bother noticing before and came before the sphere. "We haven't found the intruder yet, but give us time. I'm sure we'll find him eventually." One said as he stopped and turned to us. There were so many of the wizards here now, I had to get out of here!

Keeping myself calm and steady, I moved slowly past the group, heading for the tunnels they just came in from. But of course, I didn't walk by unseen. And then I heard a voice calling for me. "Where are you going?" The one from the tunnel asked.

I froze, pointing to the tunnels. But that wasn't answer enough for them, I realized. "Perhaps I can find him better by myself. You know, in a smaller group." I responded, then realizing that I made a mistake. These were wizards, they could hide better than any man. It didn't matter their group's size, and if they were ghosts as well, then that only furthers their skills. "I'm going to go back through, this time keeping the ground covered. He has to make his way here eventually."

"Sounds like a fair plan." He agreed, to my surprise. "I think it'll be best if we split up." The wizard glanced over to the first one I was talking with. "How are you feeling, my friend? You haven't said much."

He was still frozen in place, and looking at me with that uncomfortable curiousity when he responded."I don't know what it is that makes me feel he's different from us." He nodded in my direction and then the others turned to me. This was not good… The second wizard came to me, and I fought every urge to run away.

Suddenly, he spun back to the others. "He's among the living! We've been deceived!" He yelled. They all jumped into action, standing together and preparing their magic.

I needed to protect myself quick! Throwing off my now useless disguise, I was able to bring my shield up just in time for the collective might of wind they casted. By the time the wind broke up against the shield's barrier, they were already gone. I spun around, watching for them at every angle. There were so many of them this time, if they surround me, there would be little chance to stop that magic from hitting me.

For some reason though, they appeared as a group like before. Maybe this is what I needed, since they're all in the same place, maybe I can use this to cast my reflect spell. I hid behind my shield and focused simply on casting it. I barely even noticed the wind that crashed up against me. The wizards were safe this time, but now the spell was complete. Their next burst of magic will be sent back to them.

When they appeared next, they were apart and now showing at random. This is what I was afraid of. I went for the first one I saw who was almost ready to releasing the spell. The wind bounced off my shield and blew the caster away. Like before, he disappeared, leaving his white cloak floating to the ground.

But the battle became even more difficult after that. I would see one appear before me and focus on him, but then one would show somewhere else, not too far from casting the next attack. Before long, there were spells of wind flying everywhere and from every direction!

One wizard showed in front of me and prepared the spell, and, when I realized I had one to my right as well, I held my shield out to it but kept my focus on the first. The wind came first from the wizard straight ahead, and I brought the shield before me and took a few steps forward to avoid the other coming from my right.

In that split second, I heard an enemy from behind me, but I told myself to not look back. The magic struck my shield and was sent back to the first opponent. Astonishment hit when the wind blew the piece covering the face away and revealed the mystery underneath. What I saw was an aged face, too bony for the living, like the skin was simply stretched and weathered over the skeleton. He moved through transparency, and seemed to float too lightly before disappearing in a single poof of mist. So it was true, I've stared in the face of an undead hylian.

But now I've made the mistake of not turning back to the wizard behind me in time. I quickly brought my shield up and turned, but the wind was already so near, and I saw it close up before I was knocked to the floor. My head was pounding, and fear gripped my stomach as I knew the wizards were not slowing down. I didn't have any time to stand and protect myself. I was at a disadvantage. But I had no other choice, I needed to protect myself from down here.

I rolled over with my shield leading and met the first spell. It shot back and took that wizard out, then, I returned to my back and shrank as much as I could behind my shield. All of the wind bounced off, I was unharmed, but not for long. All that strong wind bounced off my shield and instead of racing harmlessly away, it ran right into the ceiling.

All of the constant attacks stopped coming. I'm sure that they were all retreating as the first few rocks and shakes came loose. I scrambled to my feet and ran to the tunnels. But it was already too late. Boulders were already fallen in front of them, my escape was cut off!

I turned around, thinking to run back to where I came in, but the ceiling was already coming down hard. It was just too late to try anything else. Instead, I fell on my stomach and held the shield above my head. This was my last means for defense.

Rocks pummeled my head in, and the whole chamber darkened when the wizards' light sphere burned out. I'm not really sure what happened after that. I don't know for sure if I lost consciousness, but I do know that I was lying there in the dark with rocks falling on me for quite some time. At some point or other, I noticed the shaking had slowed and only pebbles shook loose from the ceiling. I opened my eyes, but couldn't see anything. I tried to move, but I was pinned down. From what I could tell in this moment however, I was not seriously injured, at least, I didn't think I was. I had aches and bruises, but all of the bigger boulders have missed me.

Minutes passed, I was still trying to make sense of my condition when I heard a voice. A voice belonging to a wizard from earlier. "The ceiling collapsed on him, is he dead?"

"No," Another replied. "Can you sense it? His life force, he still lives!"

Great, they could tell I'm still alive, which most likely means their coming back to finish the job. No time for assesment, I needed to stand and fight. I crawled from the rubble and scrambled to my feet. Despite the earthquake having stopped, the ground was still moving beneath my feet, or perhaps that was just my head making the space around me spin? I drew my sword and shield and faught just to hold my position. The sphere of light was still gone, but my eyes had adjusted and I could barely catch the outline of white cloaks surrounding me.

Surprisingly the rest of this battle was all right, their spells were easier to see than they were. There's not much to say about this match because it was just me watching for their attacks. But for a dazed man, this fight couldn't have gone better!

By the time they were gone, I've regained my senses. And now I could finally bring out the candle so I could see. The light caught the remaining dust in the air and the chamber was much smaller than I remembered it a while ago. I was surrounded from almost every angle by the boulders that fell from the ceiling. White cloaks were littered everywhere. Should I take one with me? It seems to fool the lot of them as long as they stay far enough away, or they can sense my life force or something. I might as well take one.

I turned to the tunnels I wanted to go down. It looks like a lot of these rocks were damaged when they fell, perhaps I could dislodge them with my sword? And as I was chipping away at them, something happened that make me spin back around. A treasure chest has just appeared where that light sphere was. Was it always there? Maybe that's why there was a wizard guarding it here.

The box carried a rustic key. I was sure this was to unlock the door at the beginning. But before I returned back to that door, I needed to look for those boots the dairy mentioned. Apparently, I need them to reach the next palace.


	36. An Encounter with the Ghost Guardian

**Chapter 36**

 **An Encounter with the Ghost Guardian**

So my attention was drawn to the boulders blocking the tunnels. It took me a while, but finally, I had chipped away a bit of rock until I created enough space to fit my hands through. This was dangerous, but my sword was now too small to move any of the others. I had to do this with my strength alone. I gripped on the loosened boulder with the metal gloves and pulled! My shoulders were at their limit almost immediately, but I felt it shift, even if it was just a little. The weight of the boulder was growing heavier as it was leaving the support of the other rocks. I stepped back to remove my feet from being crushed and gave the rock one final pull and it came tumbling to the ground in front of me. The ones on top fell and rolled down with it, and now the way was open to the tunnels yet again. I carefully walked over the stones that lined the once clear passage, and held my candle to the tunnels.

The paths were quite open and quiet like the destruction to the ceiling didn't bother it. There seemed to be plenty of turns and chambers, and I went through one after the other. Beyond a few lowders and myu, I couldn't see that there was anything important in the tunnels. Maybe I should've gone back to the locked door. Maybe the boots were already over there?

But as I took a turn into a small chamber, I saw another treasure chest sitting here! Could it be the boots? I walked up to it, but as I grew near, I witnessed a rather curious sight. Either side of the box sprouted what looked like to be… Wings? And the chest lifted up in the air and flew towards me! What? I sprang for the flying chest, but it flew over my head and went back the way I came.

I ran after it, but I didn't run too far when I tripped on one of the lowders! I tried to remain upright, but still landed face down in the dirt, and now the lowder was interested. I quickly took out my sword and stood up, but the monster ran on its hundred little legs at an incredible speed to me. My sword came down and injured it enough to stop it from attacking, and then I moved back to where the chest flew off.

It was, however, too quick, it was alread out of sight once I tripped, but that didn't stop me from running in the general area it left. I glanced down every chamber I passed. Did I miss my chance? I worried myself.

But I let out a sigh of relief when I saw the chest beating its "wings" a few inches off the ground in a dead end. I stopped for just a second so I could cast the jump spell. The chest waited patiently.

Now that the spell I casted was working, I placed the candle back in my bag and sheathed my sword before I approached the box slowly and waited for its next move… It began flying at full speed when I came pretty close to it, but I was ready this time, and jumped as it flew over my head. I reached it and held on tight, but the magic used on the treasure chest was strong, it kept flying, and I was going along with it!

The chest kept flying until it reached the collapsed chamber where the wizards were. Then I realized the chest continued at full speed for the stacked boulders ahead! I let go and fell hard to the ground, but my quick decision saved me a collision with the wall! The chest ran right into it and at such a speed that fell all the boulders to the floor! The large stones rolled about and stirred dust clouds to shoot up in the air.

I stood up and rushed to the scene and saw the chest sitting perfectly unharmed in the midst of rocks. Its "wings" were outstretched, and I quickly moved to open the box before it could fly away. As the latch clicked open, the "wings" vanished and the treasure chest remained perfectly still.

I never knew chasing a treasure chest was such hard work, I sighed, brushing the sweat from my eyes. And now the dust stung my throat as well.

I didn't know what I was expecting the boots to look like, but I didn't imagine them to be so ordinary. I took the them from the chest and removed my own boots so I could try the new ones on. Nothing changed, they fit fine and I still couldn't feel anything coming from them, but I had no doubts that they held powerful magic. Just like that old hammer I still carried, never judge how old or ordinary an item seems. I left my old, non magical boots in the box.

Now that I had the key and the boots, it was time to return to that door I saw earlier. I walked over the treasure chest and to the crack in the wall where I was looking in at the wizards the first time I came here. I took my sword and lay down the candle for a moment while I smashed the wall so I could walk to the other side. I followed the dark and narrow passage until it opened to the beautifully kept temple with its dark walls and stained glass.

I came to the door and fitted the key into the lock. The door swung open with a click and revealed behind it carpeted stairs going up. I placed the candle back in my bags and walked up the curving stairs. Eventually, then never ending stairs finally stopped in front of another door.

I turned the knob and went in. This was a large stone chamber, and I knew at once I was standing where the guardian dwelled. There was the statue with the hollow at the end of the room. I stepped forward with caution, but I didn't see any one was here.

I suddenly jumped back, not expecting the biggest whirlwind to sweep by and steal my white cloak. But then, laughter followed.

"You think you can fool me by dressing up as one of the wizards when I know you are made from flesh and blood? What a poor disguise!"

"Are you Carock? The guardian of the Maze Palace?" I asked.

"That I am, and I also believe you didn't come all this way on a whim. You are the chosen one, I bet, and you came here to place one of the gems in its proper place, so you can continue your long search for the next palaces and maybe even the Triforce itself! Then you know I am here to test your abilities, and be wary, for I won't go easy on you." And with that said, Carock showed himself before me. He must have been over ten feet tall, and wore long black, trailing robes. I couldn't even see his face beyond the dark hood, he was like death itself.

He was there for only a minute before disappearing yet again, and when he showed up a few seconds later, another strong gust came from where he stood, but this one was tougher than the one from earlier and I narrowly avoided it by jumping out of the way. He was just like the wizards with their spells!

When he was gone, I quickly casted the reflect spell. But he was really quick, for when I was in the middle of chanting the spell, he already was back and the wind he sent was too close to me when the magic was complete. Before I knew what was happening, I was lifted and flying straight for a stone wall.

My breath was quickly ripped from me, but then I also fell on my back when the wind died. He was strong, that wind could pull a full grown tree from its roots! I stood up, trying to hide my pain. I was barely into this fight and already I was thrown against the floor!

He appeared again and I held up my shield, still wincing when he casted the wind my way.

"Reflect" worked perfectly and sent the mighty gust back to my opponent, but Carock disappeared in thin air before the spell could strike. Carock was faster and stronger than the wizards of the palace. I would not only have to send the wind back to him, but would have to push into the magic as well so he couldn't dodge it.

When I saw him again, I ran for him, and for the spell. It was sent closer to Carock, but it just barely missed him before he teleported somewhere else. This time, he came up behind me and this time, the wind bounced from my shield and struck against Carock hard. He was blown back, flailing his arms before he blinked away again.

After he fell for my strategy again and was struck with his own magic, he responded this time with what sounded like a frustrated growl and teleported yet again. I turned around, watching. And then took a single stride when I hesitated. There were now three Carocks?

Each one of them casted the whirlwind, turning it into a mighty tornado. I had no choice by to trust my own magic. I held up my shield and resisted the urge to back away from it. It spun and swirled as it slowly came near me. And when it was close enough I was started to leave the ground, I leaped for it. Somehow, "reflect" still worked, the tornado bounced back with twice its speed, and I fell on my stomach.

Despite my efforts, the tornado danced through two of the Carocks, but they fazed out unharmed. Great, not only were there three of him, but only one was real!

And the next time they appeared, they did so in different corners. I chose one at random and charged, but I was not close enough to reach him. That one soon teleported, but the others were still behind me, and so I was once again slammed into a wall. This time though, my head took the worst of it, as it was the first to collide with the wall, and then was smacked in the back when I landed on the floor.

It was pounding along with the seconds, and the whole room was swirling around me, even though I was sure I was lying still. I wanted to lie there and just endure my pain for a while. But I had no time, if I don't act now, I'll be hit with another spell, no doubt.

I wanted to cast the life spell, but I needed to move quickly. So instead, I rushed to my feet and tried to resist the invisible pull of the floor. Already, spells of gust were being casted my way. And the Carocks were too far away for me to reach them, but by some miracle, I dodged and blocked all three attacks. No damage was dealt this turn, but at least I wasn't harmed this time.

The next time they showed up, I went for the first one in sight. I charged and deflected his spell, but when it caught him, his image faded. Looks like I selected a fake.

I didn't flinch, the real one will be caught eventually. And so, I charged as usual, but surprise took over when he didn't send wind my way, but fire! Instinct alone brought up my shield in time for the fire to reach me. This spell bounced back further than the wind, and it blew through another illusion of Carock. But where are the other two?

I turned, shield still tight against my chest, and met with another flame. Then, something happened that made the rest of this nothing more than a blur. The fire shot back for that Carock, and before I could tell if it was another illusion or not, I was suddenly set on fire by the last one.

I dropped, putting out the scorching flame as quickly as possible, though it already was eating my clothes and skin. The burns were pure anguish! And the fire never stopped, it put up quite the fight before I was able to snuff it out.

Once it finally sizzled down, I glanced up around me. The Carocks haven't shown, expect for the one far off away from me. That was the same one I hit before I was engulfed. He was still there, huddled over. As I watched, he slowly stood and came a few steps closer. "You, as the Chosen One, have what it takes to find the Triforce." He lifted his long, robed arms out before him. "You have faught valiantly against me, and now the trapped souls of the palace can finally be set free into the afterlife." He bowed down and began fading out of sight when he finished. "You were smart, for a mortal!" He laughed, and it continued to bounce on the walls even after he was long gone.


	37. Algae Stained Walls

**Chapter 37**

 **Algae Stained Walls**

Rain fell down in a continuous shower upon the broken palace. It stirred the dirt into soft mud piles and left the air smelling like soil. Judging from the forming puddles, it's been raining for quite a while, though it would be impossible to judge just how long it's been going on.

The palace had made quite a ruckus when it fell, and it worried me to think that it may have caught the attention of the lizalfos and whizzrobes. Best to leave before they show up. I needed to scope my map and figure out where the Ocean Palace is, but now wasn't the time. I'll write a mental note to do it later in a safer place.

* * *

My trip out of the maze was uneventful, and I was unbothered by Ganon's minions, thankfully. And once I was in the safety of the woods outside the maze, I could think up my next strategy. The Ocean Palace was right where you would think it would be; in the middle of the ocean just east of Nabooru. No wonder it would be hard to reach. But I had the boots needed to reach it, surely it wouldn't be too difficult?

The rain stopped the very next morning, and I glanced back at the dreaded maze before I packed my things back up. I was thankful I was finally done with that place. Now, I could leave it behind me forever and never look back, although I'm sure it'll still haunt my sleep for a long time to come.

After the long trip, I was already missing the company of my friends. I use to travel this way all the time, but for some reason, the silence was now bothering me. I needed someone to talk to and share my adventure. I was trapped within my own thoughts.

Days passed, and I finally reached the ocean. It was at this time when I stopped here. I wasn't sure what I needed to do next. I couldn't see the palace from here, and the boots have not done anything this far. The blue waves felt so close and it spread for miles and miles around me. The blue sky with a few fluffy white clouds was dotted with flying seagulls sailing on the sea breeze. Here, the ocean was at peace as normal, but my mind was racing. All I wanted to do was move on to my next fight.

I looked down at the important boots and kicked at the sand. "Come on, you're supposed to help me reach the palace." I said to them as the bits of sand flew up and covered the brown shoes with light tan.

Nothing happened…

I let out a sigh and looked back up to the surface of the water. There was just one more idea I thought of, but it seemed unlikely. But then again, I had no clue as to what magic they had or how to use it. I took a step forward and lifted my left foot above the water line and slowly placed it in the water, but the boot rested down on the top of the sea like it was solid ground. My breath caught in my throat and I almost fell backwards.

Once I regained my footing again, I brought my other foot up. I was now standing on the ocean! But that wasn't the end of surprises, as a path was lit up in a glowing blue in front of me. It stretched towards the location of the temple like a dirt road on the plains until I couldn't see the rest of it. The boots enabled me to walk on water for it, and I didn't have to check to know they would only work on this revealed road.

* * *

It was rather odd to simply walk over to the temple's location in the ocean. Rather than being surrounded by grass, trees, insects, and dirt roads, I was surrounded by salt water on every side of me as well as fish large and small and seagulls overhead. I had followed the path for several hours until it came to sunset, but I was delighted when I saw a finally saw a building ahead of me.

The walls were worn from constant sea spray and algae and I couldn't tell what color it used to be. Whatever the case, it now showed its age and was colored in tints of red, gray, brown, and green. It looked like it was once mighty sturdy, but now, while it was still quite strong, the pillars were leaning in awkward directions. It didn't look like a mystical palace at all, but a bunch of sea rubble.

I walked on the ocean waves to the worn patio with the elevator. Here we go, from the horrors of the Maze Palace straight to the next one. But there was no reason to stop now, I was as ready as I would ever be.

And so the askew magical platform sank down inside the Ocean Palace. I nearly stumbled off of it when it landed with a bit of a crash onto the floor. Out of all the palaces I have been to, this one showed its age the most; water slowly streamed into the cracks in the walls and was collecting on the floor in front of me. I could see the cracks and even holes up near the ceiling, and because of this, weather had a strong affect over the years on the interior of the building. The place was really falling apart… Even the inside walls were colored from stains like the outside. I was surprised there was even a temple to come to!

The elevator landed in a large room where there was a small salt water pond in the middle of the curved floor, and there were a few platforms just above this "pond" and a single door rested on each of these platforms, but the one that caught my attention was the door higher than the rest of them. It didn't look like there was a way up there. Even with any of my spells, it seemed like there was a glass like sheen on the top, like an invisible floor.

I approached the pond; it didn't look very deep, but deep enough where I would have to swim, and the platforms holding the doors would be too far up to reach then. The thought of the boots I used to get here crossed my mind. If I used them across the ocean, then surely I can use it here. I stepped lightly on the water surface, and like before, it held my weight and the path glowed on the pond. I'm glad I stayed in the Maze Palace long enough to find these, or I might be able to reach the guardian at all here.

The path led to only one of the doors at the far right however. I walked over to the ledge where the road ended and I could reach the door, but how would I reach the others? There should be a different way, but for now, I'll check this one first. I stepped up to the old stone ledge and went through the door.

It was quiet, too quiet… It was a narrow passageway, and it continued to my left and the stone ended where the path was swallowed by more water and went on until I couldn't see beyond the left turn further down. I knew right away that here, too, would have a path for the magical boots as well. And sure enough, as I stepped down, a narrower path showed straight down the hallway, and I walked forward, but I grew nervous as I walked on, for the water began to stir, trickle, and bubble underneath.

Then suddenly, bago-bagos started to leap out of the water and were flying towards straight for me! I quickly moved out of the way and drew my sword and shield, but I was in a bad position for fighting monsters while on a very narrow path of water. After the first few skeletal fish flew out, it seemed as if the crowd thickened and they all attacked! I swung my blade at them and held my shield up, but they were flying in all directions now, and I was slammed by them and bitten repeatedly from those sharp teeth. I knew in the entire blur, that my only chance was to keep going forward. I took a few steps and tried to stay on the path, but I was moving slowly and I had to defend myself all the while.

It was so full of confusion, that I couldn't even process what happened next. I felt something collide with my feet and I was thrown back from stumbling and landed in the water. The bago-bagos could attack me more freely now that I was in their territory. They surrounded me and began to bite once more. The sharp teeth seeped through my skin and let the blood leak into the water. My vision was clouded, the only thing I could see was blurry forms of monstrous fish and something like a door on the wall next to me. That was my only hope!

I swung the sword around me and tried to scare the monsters away as I tugged at the door. With some difficulty and needed air, I pulled the door open and swam in. I quickly jumped up above the surface and pulled myself to the small ledge with a lone treasure chest. Blood dripped from my torn skin, and the teeth marks were shown on my tunic as well. I casted "life", letting the pain ease before checking the chest behind me. Nothing but rupees sat in the bottom. I was hoping for something more useful, but I would just have to accept what was there and look elsewhere for a way to the guardian.

I would have been really angry if I had to return back the way I came in with the bago-bagos after finding nothing but money, but there was more to this room than a lone treasure chest. This room, like the others, was falling apart, but that wasn't the only thing I noticed. The place was like an algae swamp! The colored algae stank and clung to the walls, and floated on the water that was coming in through a large crack in the wall. It didn't take me long to realize too, that the water was quickly filling the room!

If I stayed here too long, the water would trap me here, and I would drown without a way of escaping. But I was drawn to check this room for anything important as well. I darted to and fro around the room, looking for anything suspicious. I saw, for the water was still quite low, a large box next to the hole that sprayed a continuing stream of water and algae in.

I ran for the box, but then stopped myself, as I then noticed a high ledge that I could reach if the water was at a higher level. I decided to risk my chances and reach that ledge and return back down for the box. It didn't take long for the strong smelling water to rise, and I swam up with the water's surface and pulled myself up on the platform. Here was another treasure chest, and as I opened it, I prayed that it was more than money.

But it was! I took up the small key and placed it safely in my pouch, and, without hesitation, I jump down from the ledge and swam for the giant box still lying on the floor now under the water surface. I swam down and pushed it until it blocked off the hole. I came back up for air, but I was surprised when I noticed the water began to drain completely through a vent I didn't see before. I didn't know where the water was going through this vent, but before long, the only sign of sea water ever being in the room was the wet floor and algae that clung hopelessly on the solid ground.

But just then, a mace came out of nowhere from above me, missing me by a few feet. This mace was followed by a red figure that dropped down, and I knew, once it landed, that it was a mace thrower. Where did he come from? Why was he here?

It responded with what looked like a grin, but that may have been its usual expression, and began tossing more maces. I quickly jumped back and took out my sword and shield. The maces quickly littered the floor and made it hard to walk, let alone dodging the ones still in the air!

Like the last one I encountered, the mace thrower didn't seem to run out on maces, and I found myself wondering once more where they all came from. I held my shield in front of me and moved to the side. The mace thrower turned to my direction as well, and I jumped again to where I was before, and was careful to not trip on the maces, and then I ran forward and stabbed.

It struck, and he clutched at the new gash. But now it was throwing with its good arm. I moved back and was far enough from the attack to cast "fire". I pointed my sword at the creature and lit him on fire.

It panicked and I approached. The creature screamed and shoved its mace into me, but I jumped back. The fire sizzled out and left him burned and bloodied. It responded to its condition by giving the same grin, except it looked more narrowed and angry this time, and continued with its hail of maces. I held my shield up to them, but felt one hit my leg and I staggered downwards.

The maces must have struck the already weak walls, because the wall to my left was cracking. The mace thrower noticed this and stopped throwing the weapons entirely. The red face of the monster turned to a light pink, must have been how it paled, and looked to me regretfully before water sprayed from the wall and opened the cracks further. The water was rushing in at an incredible speed and I fell over, blinded and torn from air.

The loud roaring of the water deafened me and was even thunderous under the surface. I was pushed, pulled, and carried along with the sea. I tried desperately to get my head above it.

I didn't know how long that lasted, but it felt like I was struggling for hours. But it didn't last forever, for the flow calmed and I slid onto the floor next to maces and some remaining algae. Sweet air filled my lungs again. I was still in the same room, And there the mace thrower was grounded some distance away from me. I didn't know if it was passed out or dead, but I couldn't worry about that. The water coming in through the wall did calm down a bit, but still quick enough that the room was filling up again.

I slowly stood up. My leg was bleeding and the water was cold, but I had to leave before it was too late. Looks like I now had no choice but to return back to the bago-bagos. And so I reluctantly limped back and dove under the water to the door that would bring me back to the passage where I was attacked by bago-bagos. I opened the frame with caution, but nothing happened. The bago-bagos must have returned to where ever they were before they attacked me.

I came up and swam to the beginning of the hallway as quickly as possible. I pulled myself up on the old stone floor where I sat quietly for a moment and tried to recover from the scene with the mace thrower. If that wall is ruined and water filled that room, what does it mean for my journey here at the palace? Was it going to collapse? Were there rooms down there that I could now no longer reach? I hoped not. The times I've worried about those kind of things, I was still able to reach every guardian. This time is probably going to be no different. I healed my leg, then stood up and tried to cross the path again.

This time, I wasn't swarmed with the skeletal fish, instead, only a few attacked me. I made a dash anyway to the end in case there might have been more coming. There was a door at the end of the watery hallway, and by stepping through it; I was back in the room with the pond. But this time I was on a different ledge more to the middle. I could see the stained, tilting elevator from here and the door I first came in on the ledge now to my left, and there were two doors to my right. I looked down off of the ledge and stepped down on the water with my boots, but rather than it seeming like solid ground, I almost fell into the water! The weight of my foot plunging down in the water made me stumble and I would have fell down entirely if I didn't grab onto the platform in time.

There was no path here! How could I reach the other two doors? I pulled myself back up to the platform and casted "jump". I didn't have a lot of space to back off, so I stood at the far edge and jumped for the nearest door. I flew through the air, soaring for the door.

But something pushed me back from the platform and I fell with strong force into the water below. I came back up in confusion and floated on the surface coughing up accidentally swallowed water. The platform was protected by some sort of invisible force field.

I had to swim back to where the elevator was and follow the path on the water back to the first door on the far right where the bago-bago hallway was.

I went quickly and tried to avoid the monstrous fish and came back to where I was before I jumped. Now that I know the spell won't work here, I had to think of something else. I looked around me, but there was nothing to help me reach the next door. If I couldn't walk on the water over there and couldn't jump, then what was I supposed to do? I had to find a way to remove the barrier around the ledge then. I turned around to the door behind me and stopped. All of my ideas were taken away when I saw, just above the door, a crystal hidden in a hollow covered by algae. Was it really that simple? After tugging on it didn't work, I poked it with my sword instead.

The gem became a dark blue and dimmed. I turned around, and saw the path on the pond flash like it does when I step on it, and it then vanished only to reappear a second later, but this time the path was different. It began in front of me and led to the door I failed to jump to.

So the gem was a switch! I'll have to be watching for more of those. I stepped down on the watery path and walked over to the door, but before walking up on the platform, I reached up to touch it. There was no sign of the barrier that tossed me in the pond. Curiosity grew the second I came to the door. Who knows what I will stumble past next?


	38. Always Going Forward

**Chapter 38**

 **Always Going Forward**

Stairs continued to go to the lower levels where I could see it was flooded. Seawater sat peacefully three steps down, as if it didn't matter what was underneath. What could I do about this? The palace was so old it was barely standing when I found it, and now the mace thrower damaged the walls, weakening the palace further. The whole lower levels may be inaccessible now. I slumped down on the first dry step in front of me and stared at the water.

There had to be a way down. I didn't pick up this quest and travel beyond the kingdom I knew just to be stopped because of a flooded room in an old temple. But there was only one idea I had to continue. I eased myself in the water. Before, I have been too frightened to dive in deep water, but now it looks like I'll be doing this again. Just remember where these stairs are, I thought, I'll be returning for air here. It's not like I'll be swimming through an unknown tunnel like I have before. I nodded, already breathing easy. I wasn't as scared like I was before. Maybe it's not too late to be rid of this old fear.

I could see the stairs continued under until the surface before the floor spread out and opened up into a new room. It was deep enough I was thinking the room should be filled up to the very top. I was wasting time, I decided, and finally dove down the stairs.

The room was small and wasn't that tall either. The seawater did reach up to the ceiling and left no air in the room. Almost at once, I noticed something dark gold sparkle on the floor, but I left it where it was for now. Maybe there was some way I could drain the water? It wasn't looking like I could do so until I turned to my left and saw a weak wall. Chances were there was already plenty of water past that wall too, but I might as well try.

I swam for the wall and noticed a small hole amidst the cracked lines like spider webs. I gripped my sword and tried to widen it, for the room was already full of water, what damage could I do? Bits of stone chipped away easily and now the water was draining from the room. That was a good stroke of luck! I wanted to widen it further to quicken the drain, but I found myself yearning for air. I left the wall alone and swam back to the stairs where I surfaced and caught my breath before returning back to the chipped stone.

It only took a few stones for me to weaken it further before the water in the room was strong enough to break the stone on its own! But now the current was too strong, and I was swept into the chamber on the other side of the wall.

The water and I spilled into the room, and I was sent sliding on the floor when something smashed into me along the way. When I recovered, I realized it was a stalfos. And it seemed he was just as confused as I was.

The room was small, like there was just enough space for the two of us to fight. There was nothing important here, and it seemed like it was also a dead end. It wouldn't take long at all for the water to fill this room.

The stalfos stood up and cocked its head in confusion before drawing its sword. I quickly rolled to the side when the blade dropped down and struck the floor where I was lying a second ago. I came up on my feet and held my own sword and shield. The stalfos hesitated for a moment, but was still able to block my strike by regaining its focus and meeting my sword with its own. The small chamber echoed the loud clash of our weapons, and I brought the shield up to push the skeleton off balance, but the monster saw the attack coming and jumped back from me.

I went to strike it with sword beams. The first two hit, but then he reacted quick enough to block the rest with his sword. He was still blocking them when he approached slowly again. Once more, I slammed my shield in front, thinking to knock him back again. But he wasn't stupid, he dodged to the side. This time, I reacted by striking my sword for him, but he met with with his own sword.

For an undead thing with no muscles, he had a lot of strength, and he was pushing me back, now I was too close to the wall and had the disadvantage. I had to fight for more ground. I took up the shield and aimed to push into him again, but then he retracted his sword and brought it overhead suddenly. I didn't react fast enough and his sword slashed the front of my shoulder before I was using my weapon to brush him off.

But the attack took me off guard. I managed to move him off me, but now I was tumbling back. But instead of slamming my back to the stone, I fell right through it!

Somehow, the wall that was behind me a second ago was now in front of me, and it was a long way down to the floor. And as I was lying there in utter confusion, the stalfos calmly came through like he knew it was there. Then, he prepared a finishing blow, and I rolled, tripping it as I went. Now the monster fell helplessly down, and I severed his head before he could move again.

The room with the fake wall took me into a narrow hallway, but I wasn't done with the room I left behind yet now that the water went down a bit. I healed the stinging cut on my shoulder, and went back through the wall like it was thin air. Then I turned back to find that sparkling thing I saw earlier.

The current must have carried it closer to the broken wall, as it was sitting in a different place than when I first saw it. Now I could see it was a tiny golden flute. The dark gold looked shiny and new even. Why did it look so new in a worn and stained temple? I wondered how important it might be, but there was no way to tell right now. I slid it in a pouch.

Nothing else stood out to me, so I came back for the hallway beyond the fake wall. There was a door up a few steps in the left wall, but it looked like this hallway was also a lonely dead end, as there was nothing else and no purpose for it. It occurred to me to check this place for fake walls, but for now, I'll see where this door leads.

This door was actually the last door on the platforms in the room with the pond. Well, now that I knew that turning back here was not necessary for now, I turned back to hall. I held my hand in front of me and checked the very end of it, and watched as it went through the stone. I knew it, this was also a fake wall.

As soon as I could see past the illusion, I almost ran right into a floating wolf head! Like the ra, the wolf head was like a statue of a monster's head and it shot magic missiles, but unlike the ra, the wolf head was free from the wall. I held my sword up and slashed the creature away with the blade. It chipped easily, but I'll have to be careful, there should be more of them here.

Then suddenly, water quickly began to fill the room from multiple vents in the floor as soon as I was through the wall. Even worse, this room was a wide and round chamber, but had nowhere else to go. The ceiling was far up and the sun was in the place in the sky to shine down beams through the cracked stone. What should I have done? Should I have turned back and found a different way through here, or quickly tried to find a way forward? With the fake wall behind me, now the other rooms back there would become flooded as well!

I avoided the wolf heads that came in nonstop like an army and I felt along the walls for any that may have been passages in disguise, but all the walls were solid. That's it then… I always thought that every room would have importance, but there was literally nothing here to help me move forward.

By the time I returned to where I entered, the water was already up to my chest. But then the worst possible thing happened, this wall was now solid as well! I tried not to panic, and desperately felt along the walls again looking for the way out. Where was it?! There has to be a wall here somewhere.

But despite my search for the way out, it was like the entrance just vanished! The water was now taller than I was, and I turned away from the wall and floated on the surface of the water while scouring the room for anything that may even just stop the water from rising.

"You should be trying to find a way out here as well!" I exclaimed at the wolf heads that were still shooting at me. "Or you'll be trapped underwater forever!"

The holes in the ceiling weren't big enough for a person to fit through. But perhaps, I pondered, the ceiling was the answer to my escape? I pointed the sword up and beams shot from the tip and hit the cracked stone over and over.

But nothing happened…

The water was still rising with every minute and I was clueless on what to do as the ceiling came closer and closer. The inspiration only came to me when the sun shone through the tiny cracks once more. Those holes were too small for a person to fit through, I thought, but were they too small for a fairy?

I shot at some of the bothersome wolf heads, and, when I had enough time, I repeated the words for the fairy spell until I shrank and the wings appeared on my back. The wolf heads now looked larger and much more threatening than they were already before. But I avoided them and quickly flew above the water and came to the cracked ceiling. The hole was a tight fit, but I was able to pull myself through to the outside. I looked back down; the water was pretty close to the ceiling now. But now that I'm out of the temple, where do I go?

I jumped off from the tower and hovered around the building. Should I have gone back to the elevator? No, because it was already down in that room. Luckily, the palace was old and worn that I found one of the roofs was almost ruined completely and I could just fly down into whatever room that was.

This room was familiar, but it took me a moment to remember it to be the room with the pond, but now I was above the glassy floor. And for one reason or another, the rest of the floor below was flooded! I didn't know what happened, but now the water was all the way up to the highest platform with the single door, and everything else, the elevator, pond, and doors were all the way down to the bottom of the water. I didn't have a problem with this as I wanted to reach this door since I came here, so I simply waited for the fairy spell to wear off and when I was back to my old self again, I went through the door.

I was greeted with something that was a mix between a bull and a human as soon as I stepped past the door. This must be the guardian! He dragged a ball and chain around with his muscular and hairy arms, and his tufted tail swished when he noticed me in his chamber.

"YOU FIND PALACE!" it exclaimed in a loud and grunted voice and pointed his finger towards me. "YOU FIGHT GOOMA!" He released a laugh and swung the ball and chain above his horned head. He didn't look like he had any problem with the heavy weapon.

I hesitated; Gooma, or whatever this thing was, looked like he had raw power! But it didn't seem like he was too smart either. I unsheathed my sword and watched the ball and chain closely, and I didn't take a step forward before Gooma yelled and threw the heavy iron ball in my direction. I quickly jumped to the side, and as Gooma pulled the chain back, I took the spare moment to cast "shield".

Gooma lifted the ball and chain above his head again and swung it around and around. I pointed my sword towards him and summoned beams to shoot at him, he didn't even seem to notice them as they hit. How could I fight the guardian if I couldn't move near him, or strike with ranged attacks? The guardian was now tossing the iron ball once more, and I moved again to avoid it, and now that weapon was away from my opponent, I saw my only chance for attack.

I quickly ran towards him and held my sword out, but Gooma was so strong that he pulled on the chain of the weapon and the iron ball reached him before I did. He swung the ball and chain over his head and tried to hit me with it, but I didn't hesitate. I dropped down low and struck his unarmored legs before I backed just soon enough, for the weapon came so close to hitting me then.

He had perfect control of that weapon, and that would make this fight so much harder on me. Even worse, Gooma barely flinched from the bleeding slice in his bulky legs! I stood straight and watched the movement of the ball and chain carefully while slowly edging to the side. Gooma moved slowly closer to me and released the swinging iron ball. I jumped to the side, and like last time, I ran up to Gooma with my sword ready for another strike.

This time I was able to slash at his belly, and while he still showed little notice, he let out a roar this time and pulled his weapon in again. I backed off and turned around only to see the giant sphere flying at me. I dropped down flat on the floor and let it soar above me, but that was now not my only worry, for as soon as I fell to the floor, Gooma walked near and lifted his human like foot over me. I responded quickly by lifting my sword arm up and slashing the bottom of the foot. He moved back and I rolled opposite his direction and stood back to my feet.

I was surprised when Gooma planted the injured foot on the ground and swung the ball and chain once more. It seems I've underestimated him. Perhaps Rebonack was right, my journey was growing tougher, and it was only because of my stubborn ways.

Gooma showed his increasing anger by charging for me. I knew I couldn't keep backing up. I can't let myself become cornered again, but at the same time, I knew it was risky to try and move around him. All of my instincts told me to back up, but it looked like I had enough room to quickly run around to the other side of him.

Or better yet, jump over him.

I stepped back and focused on casting the jump spell, and when I lifted my eyes, he was much closer to me, and he prepared to throw the weapon! I ran forward and leapt over the soaring weapon and Gooma entirely and landed some distance away from him. I turned around and waited for him to move again. The dangerous weapon kept its rhythm above his head as he turned with little difficulty.

Gooma continued to approach me, and I waited for him to throw the ball and chain again. Then I saw his hand loosen on the chain a bit and I waited for the toss.

I was prepared when he released it, and I moved to the side to avoid the flying iron ball. Gooma saw me coming and pulled back on the chain, but it missed.

I jabbed, poked, and sliced his thigh until the metal ball was flying back. I was quick, but this time, he was quicker, and the iron weapon slammed into my sword arm as I was escaping. To my dismay, the sword swung free of my grip and slid next to a wall near the guardian.

The attack from the ball and chain would have broken my arm if it wasn't for the shield spell, but that didn't mean that my arm wasn't in throbbing pain. But now, I only cared about reaching my sword without being hit again. This was going to be a difficult task, I realized. Gooma stood over my weapon, swinging the chain around his head.

I brought my shield up and waited for the perfect moment. Perhaps I could knock Gooma off guard with my shield, or would that even work against such a large opponent? I waited for the guardian to throw the iron ball again, and then I quickly ran up to him and reached for my sword, but Gooma blocked my way! I bashed my shield into him, but he didn't even flinch! He responded to my frightened expression with a grunted laughter before shoving me back hard and pulling on the chain. I fell backwards and had to quickly scramble up to my feet before Gooma released the weapon once more.

I needed to think of another strategy if I wanted to reach my sword in time. I waited for Gooma to pull in the weapon and then I jumped over him to the other side of the room, and, while he was still facing the wrong way, I made a break for the dropped sword. The guardian began to turn around, and I dove for the hilt! I was able to grasp it and stand up before the guardian attacked, and it was in that moment when I quickly ran up to him and stabbed at his hip.

Gooma's tough skin didn't allow for my sword to go very deep, but it was deep enough for Gooma to drop the ball and chain uselessly on the ground and clench at the wound. I stepped far back when he started to sway. Blood escaped past his burly fingers, and shortly after that, he collapsed to the floor.

I have done it, one more guardian was down. That only leaves one more until I have to find the Great Palace. A jolt ran through me as images of Ganon being the final guardian returned. I shook them away, no, I mustn't let him distract me like this. There's no reason to worry about it, especially now.

The palace left me exhausted, but there was no time or place to rest until I was off the ocean. And so, I left a gem with the statue, and headed for the lit up path on the waves. It was a good thing I did, because when it began to shake, it didn't even hold up for a few minutes before it broke down. Now it was nothing more than a hunk of stone under the waves.

That night, I had my map before me. The next palace was in the southeast, located in another desert, and was titled the "Hidden Palace". Just one more challenge before the final fight. Whether if I fail or not, there was too much for me to give up. Don't worry, Zelda, I'm bringing the Triforce home to you, or I'll die trying.


	39. The Unsettling Dark

**Chapter 39**

 **The Unsettling Dark**

I stopped in Nabooru one last time for supplies before setting for the southern mountains. And it was here where I learned a rather interesting story. Apparently, true or not, there was a rumor of a monster living at the river there. They called him the River Devil, and his tales brought fear to the people in this region, stopping them from wanting to cross the bridge. According to them, he was a giant, dark, arachnid beast that owned the river and ate any passerby wanting to cross his bridge. They said he was too strong to be harmed by any weapon, and had few flaws. According to them, this beast has never lost a fight.

Seemed like nothing more than a ghost story if you asked me, but since I'll be crossing that very bridge, I should keep an eye out.

* * *

The river next to the road came into view several hours later. I slowed my pace once I reached the old bridge, thinking to observe this area, just in case the tales were true.

The water trickled by calmly and the silence was filled with the chirps of birds and insects. The road was clear. Everything was normal. I guess the story was nonsense after all...

Now my only concern was the bridge itself. Since people were too scared to come out here for any reason, the bridge hasn't been tended to in who knows how long. The wood was severely weathered and worn. Would it even be able to hold my weight?

Approaching it slowly, I dropped one foot on it first. It creaked quietly, but held its form. The river underneath was quiet and calm. I suppose if the bridge snapped, I wouldn't be swept away in dangerous currents.

Holding on the wooden rails tightly, I took the first few steps. The mountains on the other side were squeezed tight on either side of the road, almost like they were built around the dirt path. If there was such a thing as a river devil, those tall rocks would be a great place to hide and wait for someone to come by.

But I never did see one, and the bridge remained intact. It's a pity the legend scared the people so much. All that's doing is preventing them from using this road. It's bad for business and there's no reason for it. What happened that caused the story to spread in the first place?

* * *

The mountain trail was long and tiring. It was made worse because some of Ganon's minions who stalked me there. The battles weren't very important or threatening, but they were taxing after a while. It was shortly after that when I grew paranoid about more whizzrobes being nearby. But I never saw any of those, luckily.

Finally the path led me outside of the tight mountains and into green wooded lands. There was a graveyard nearby, and if my map was correct, then this was Kasuto's graveyard. The city, Kasuto, was just a few miles south of here. Of course, one would have to cross this upcoming bridge and wrap around the jutted mountains blocking the way.

But something wasn't right, the graveyard looked abandoned. The grass was overgrown, and no flowers or gifts to honor the passing remained here. The place was a mess. Why would its city allow this to happen? What was wrong with Kasuto?

The Hidden Palace on the map was just a few miles east, past the bridge and located in the center of three giant rocks. It seemed odd to me that the palace would be so close to that city. Perhaps it really is hidden? That seemed the most likely, and if that be the cause, I'll go to the town and see if anybody there knows anything about the palace.

I've made it to the bridge, but I hesitated. This place felt dead and sinister. It was nothing more than a gut feeling, but I casted the shield spell and continued on anyway.

And my sixth sense wasn't wrong. This river was full of bago-bagos. As soon as I was over the water, they came soaring in from all directions. I unsheathed my sword and did my best to try and fight them, but like my last encounter, my best chance was to leave the bridge as soon as possible.

Luckily, it was a short bridge, and the undead fish moved on once I was out of reach. And thanks to the shield spell, their bites were nothing more than annoying scrapes. I took a second to catch my breath, and then I hesitated yet again.

This is where the woods thinned, and revealed an open, dry wasteland, but once again, something here was wrong. The few shrubs and plants that were here were bent, broken, and dying, and I don't think it was from lack of rain. No, there was something else going on. It was like the sun was too shy to really show here, too ashamed to show this damaged land. Even the creatures and insects have moved on. The only sound that would dare disturb this land was the travelling wind, which screamed a dying sorrow. What happened here?

* * *

Glancing about the land, I found the rocky pillars. Those were the rocks by the palace, and I went to examine them. The Hidden Palace itself wasn't there, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't find anything interesting.

The rocks were indeed quite a sight, especially from this close. They proudly stood out from the otherwise flat land. And unlike anything else here, they were still strong and sturdy. But they still didn't hold any answers for me. I carefully looked over each one, taking my time to go around all three, but as impressive as they were, they were just rocks.

My maps told me I was in the right place, but there was no sign that a temple was ever here. The ground was flat, free of rubble and mound. It was like someone picked up the palace and ran away with it, leaving absolutely nothing behind. Sadly, my map didn't tell me how to reach the palace, just where it stood.

The sun was retreating this dead land, and it would soon be growing dark. I guess I should continue on to the town, if that too wasn't missing. For now, I'll have to put off the riddle of the Hidden Palace, but maybe someone there can tell me something about it.

* * *

Kasuto wasn't too far away, but there was another bridge I had to cross to go into town. And I was truly worried when I had to fight with the bago-bagos again. This was too close to town for this to be a problem.

But I finally moved past it and entered Kasuto... Or what remained of it at least.

I was given the same feeling here as the wasteland, the only difference being the destruction of buildings and roads. Hardly anything here was complete, and nothing moved other than the wind.

And then I finally came across the first corpse... She was lying next to an old, crumbled well, forgotten and rotted. She's been here for a while for sure, though I couldn't tell just how long. The smell of the old blood wafted through the air as I decided to kneel down to check for wounds. It appeared that she was gutted through with some sort of weapon. There was a hole in her torso that ran through the back. There was a battle here!? But with who, and why? How many innocent people died here?

This town is not going to help me find the answer to the palace. But what can I do? This was the only city for miles! The next closest one being Nabooru, and I wasn't ready to retrace my steps.

There wasn't nothing more to do here... And I can't figure out this riddle by myself, I have no choice but to see if anyone in Nabooru knew anything. Looks like I'll have to find somewhere suitable to sleep tonight.

Standing up, I looked about the dead city, trying to scope the scene one last time. The air was dusty and cold, and the wind continued its old whine. It's too quiet here, it didn't feel safe. I think my best chance at finding a safe shelter would be somewhere outside the borders of the city. The land was mostly flat however, it'll be harder to find anything, but I still felt it was the best I had.

Every step on this cursed ground seemed to echo in this odd, dark silence. I couldn't help but to walk carefully and slowly. I still didn't think there was anyone here, but something about this place was frightening to me.

Moments passed as I moved from littered roads to broken houses. Was I growing mad? I swore the wind twirled around me, watching my every step. Then a soft laugh followed. I stopped. There was something here, but what?

Then something rushed by me, and as soon as that happened, more started to follow until this mysterious being flew into me, sending me into the air. I landed hard on the ground. From down here, I looked for the source, but still saw nothing.

Then the laughter continued.

I didn't know what was going on, but I needed to get out of here! I scrambled to my feet and jogged, wishing to be safe outside of the city line, but I was slammed again and it sent me rolling on my side. I got back to my feet, unsheathed my sword, and held it high before me, but the sight of the weapon didn't bother my attackers. I slashed at the empty air, but it was only met with yet more laughter and the attacks thickened.

The next few minutes were blurred as I was rammed into invisible creatures to the point where I could barely continue to stand, let alone walk. I scrambled on my hands and knees to try and get away, but I kept getting pushed around. I wasn't making any progress.

I hardly noticed it, but just then, a broken door from a nearby building creaked open, and an old man stuck his head out. It looked like he was beckoning me to come over, though I couldn't respond. Whatever was attacking me was now screeching horribly and yanking on my clothes and hair.

And then the man took action. He stepped out of the house and yelled, catching the attackers' attention. Wind flurried away and swept for him, but he didn't flinch. He held his hands before him, and made small pulling notions in the air, and with each one, fire responded in quick bursts on the ground.

The screech was louder now, and the wind whisked away. "Quick!" The man yelled to me, swinging his arms for the door. His long red sleeves sweeping the air. "Come this way before they come back!"

I obeyed without question, once again scrambling for my feet and heading for the door. He held it open and came in only after I did. He shut the door and sat in the corner next to it, and once again asked me to do the same. As I followed suit, he warned me to be quiet.

The wind whistled by, carrying a faint laughter before it slowly faded away in the distance, swallowing us in the normal discomfort of the city once more. I finally released the breath I didn't realize I was keeping, and deflated into the floor.

The man next to me seemed to relax more as well. And for a while, we sat in silence, the only thing now filling the air beyond the frightening wind was our own breaths. Finally, he turned to me. "Are you all right?" He asked barely above a whisper. I couldn't tell if it was because of exhaustion or if he was still trying not to bring about attention.

I nodded, too stunned to speak.

He sighed, muttering something to himself about how we were lucky this time. And now that I've regained some sense of being again, I was able to identify my rescuer better. The first thing I noticed were his long red robes. Of course, I already knew him to be a magic user, but these robes showed high rank. They were made of a fine material and dropped to his ankles.

It brought the image of the renowned town elders to mind. But if he was an elder, he would be the youngest one I've seen so far. He was not a young man by any means, but his thick brown hair didn't show any gray. His beard and eyebrows was bushy and full of life, and while his figure was rather slim, it showed he still had muscle and strength. And his eyes, when they weren't buried by all that hair, looked kind and caring.

"Thank you," I finally replied. "I have no idea what I would have done to escape... Whatever that was out there by myself."

"Moas," He answered simply, speaking a little louder now. His voice was rough, but soft at the same time. "Those were moas. I'm pretty sure they came from Death Valley to revel in the destruction of this town." Then he shuffled upright as he finished. "But don't judge these based on other moas. These are different, no one's ever seen them, they've remained completely invisible! Luckily, if you keep a low profile, they don't usually tend to care about bothering people."

"I'll have to keep that in mind." I responded. "Do you know what happened here?"

He shifted again, this time uncomfortably. "Unfortunately, dear old Kasuto was attacked by a gang of moblins. But these weren't like any moblins, no, they were much too smart. They knew exactly where to hit us, and they moved like one unit, they covered every opening, every weakness."

This was familiar; could it really be that group of moblins? The group that the prince sought to destroy?

"We had no choice, but to let them have our home." He said sadly, looking down at the broken planks of wood. "But many were able to escape. I've led everyone I could far from here, into a quiet wood, into a new Kasuto."

"Then why did you come back? It's dangerous here, especially for just one person."

He answered by bringing something from his robes, medicinal supplies, and showed them to me. "I came back to gather what remained of our medicine house. I know we'll need them if we are to survive in a new land. And I came alone because I was worried the monsters would still be here, it is my duty to ensure all of Kasuto's people remain safe." He carefully stuffed his robes with the medicine again. "Though I thought it would be that group of moblins who were here, not the moas from Death Valley."

"So you are the elder of Kasuto then?" I asked, though I believe that was already answered for me.

He cleared his throat, and he might have had a glimmer in his eye if it wasn't for his destroyed home. "Yes, I am the elder of Kasuto. I'm sorry I didn't introduce myself before. My friends call me Sun-Summoner because of my specialty in fire magic. Don't mistake it, I know other great spells too, but I could cast a fireball the size of the sun when I was just a young magic user."

"You seem a little young to be the town elder." I replied, still rather curious.

He smiled. "Thank you. And I am, so far, the youngest elder at least on this side of the kingdom. My uncle was the elder before the attack, and he passed a few days before we were hit. There was one other with the title, but he didn't carry it for long before he was run through by a moblin spear. So that just leaves me to carry out the responsibility. And now it's my turn, what are you doing in this place? Were you hoping to stop for the night?"

"Something like that, it's a long story." I admitted. "I came through here looking for a place to rest, but I also wanted to ask someone about the Hidden Palace."

Sun-Summoner was taken back in shock. "The Hidden Palace?! Really?" Then he clamped his mouth shut, like he worried he was too loud. The next he spoke he was quieter. "You're seeking the Hidden Palace?"

"What do you know about it?"

He froze, still looking nervous. "Not much." He finally answered. "There is a legend that it's near town, buried deep in the ground in the center of the three pillars just east of here. But no one's been in there, even the most skillful of treasure hunters haven't been able to find a way in."

Of course no one's been able to enter. I sighed, sinking into the broken wall yet again. This wasn't going to be easy. A silenced moment passed as the elder thought for a while, staring up at the ceiling and scrunching up his face. "But the topic brings something interesting to mind." He whispered after a while. I regarded him fully, hoping he had something useful to add. "I don't know if it's related to the palace or not, but I've found an odd... Thing... On the edge of our new home."

I patiently waited for him to elaberate.

Finally, he shrugged, his arms tossed in the air and fell in his lap. "I don't know how to explain it, but we were fighting back lesser monsters when they grew too close to the town. I ended up casting a powerful spell to turn them all to gels, but they weren't the only ones who reacted to it. The land rocked, and a pillar grew in front of us straight from the ground. We don't know why it was there or why my spell brought it from the ground, but there it was. And stranger yet, it was covered in the old language of the hylians. None of us have been able to translate it. Of course, it would be nearly impossible to."

Yes, there were few people alive now who could read that old language. It was the tongue spoken by the hylians in the ancient times. And yet, I was able to read it on that scroll Impa gave me. I knew the powers were granted by the power of the Triforce. Maybe I could read what was on the pillar? "I'm curious, and I'd like to see it for myself. Would you mind if I came back to town with you?"

He hesitated again for just a second, though I wasn't sure if it was because of what I asked of him or if it was for something else. "It should be fine." He finally answered. "We just need to be careful coming back, we don't need to lure anything with us."

"Thank you, I really appreciate this." I was more than half expecting him to say no. After all, his town and people were vulnerable. But then again, if I meant them any kind of harm, he could just blast me into a burning puddle on the ground. "By the way, I'm Link."

That took his attention. "Link? You're Link?" He laughed, nearly rolling backward. "Of course, I should have known! You fit the hero's image exactly, but I never thought you would have come all the way out to this part of the kingdom."

Wow, I knew my stories were pretty popular, but I didn't think I was well known in these parts. I mean, I've been to Eastern Hyrule before, but only a few times, and I never went far from Nabooru.

"Well, Link, it may be late in the night as it is, but I don't think it's safe for us to stay here. Even if we do take up shifts, it's too risky for us to stay in one place for long. I think we need to escape the town first and camp somewhere out there."

That also sounded a bit risky to me, but it would be safer than staying here, certainly. I agreed, and Sun-Summoner rose to his feet, where he rushed for the last few supplies of medicine on the shelves. I waited, brushing the ashes and dirt from my tunic until he finished. Finally, he told me to keep low and quiet as we headed out the door.

The state of the buildings and the ghosts that were here made it seem that the town was empty and in ruins for many years. I heard more of the moas as they hovered by, one with the wind, but we weren't bothered by them. The sun met with the horizon and left the already haunted town to become slowly darker. The haunting darkness quickly crept into my very soul and made me anxious to reach the end of the ruined village.

Luckily, the walk through town was nothing more than a quiet, dead haunt, and we made it to the last step, the dreaded bago-bago bridge, but now it wasn't as scary as it was when I was first crossing it. Sun-Summoner was as powerful as he said he was, and with every undead fish that flew our way, he incinerated it to ashes, leaving me to dealing with few stragglers.

The rest of the way was uneventful, and Sun-Summoner led me for the thinning woods just out of the wastelands, claiming it would be safer and more comfortable to rest here.


End file.
